From Ashes to Embers
by JadedPhoenixBurning
Summary: (Formerly "My Imaginary Sister) Have you ever wondered just how our favorite Dukes went from the ones that we saw in the show to ones we were introduced to in the movies? This is one take on how that could have happened. It's funny how the most mundane tasks can open a can of worms when you live in Hazzard. Bo has found an envelope that will change his life forever. Re-edited
1. Emotional questions

**Chapter 1: Emotional questions**

* * *

Daisy had just finished hauling the old family albums in and put them all on the kitchen table. She and Lulu had come up with a great idea for this year's festival. The older residents, granted, would be better at the game than the younger folks in town but it'll still be fun all the same. And this time, at least, she shouldn't have to strong arm her two cousins into anything. Not much anyway. Sorting through the books of pictures on the table, Daisy set to finding just what she'd need. Smiling to herself, Daisy was lost in the reminders of days gone by when Bo and Luke came in for lunch.

"Hey, Daisy-girl. What 'cha doin'?"

Bo walked over and affectionately kissed the top of Daisy's head as he looked over her shoulder at the mounds of photos that were covering the kitchen table. Daisy looked up and gave her best conspiratorial smile that she always saves for when she and Lulu need the fellas help with one charity event or another.

"Oh no! Whatever it is, NO! Luke and I ain't doin' nothin' that you got in mind. Ain't no way, ain't no how!"

"Now sugar, I wasn't going to ask nothin'. I'm just lookin' through these here photo albums." Daisy looked down to hide the smirk she knew was making its way across her face. "Tryin' to find the best ones to use."

"Use for what, exactly, Daisy?"

Luke walked over to the fridge to get the fixings for some sandwiches since it was obvious that the only way he and Bo were going to get anything to eat was to get it himself. Daisy could be just like a kid when she got into a new project.

"Oh, well Lulu and I were tryin' to figure out a contest that could be fun for the Thanksgiving Weekend Festival. We thought that a guess who's who game would be fun. Folks'll try to match up each other using only BABY pictures. The person who guesses-"

"Baby pictures? Is that what you're goin' through now?" Luke gave her his famous look that always meant that he had the feeling that somehow he wasn't going to like this at all when it was all said and done.

"Hey Luke! I didn't know you was such a cute kid." Bo didn't even bother trying to hide his smirk. "What happened?"

Luke walked over bringing the sandwiches with him to look at the picture that Daisy currently was holding.

"Oh no you don't. Ya' ain't using that one." Luke made a grab for the picture that showed a young toddler aged Luke Duke that had clearly just gotten out of the bath and had refuse to allow his mother to dress him so she had grabbed her camera instead. "Why do parents always take pictures that they know can only serve one purpose; to embarrass their kids?"

Daisy tucked the picture protectively close to herself to keep Luke from getting a hold on it. "Well I'll use this one if'n you don't help me find one that you DO want me to use."

Daisy couldn't help the giggle fit that swept over her. She couldn't understand why so many, men mostly, got so bent out of shape when it came to pictures. She dared to glance up at her two male cousins; one with a face of true annoyance the other still smirking like the show before him was the funniest thing he'd seen in sometime. That smirk, though, also told her that at least Bo was game.

"Come on, Luke. You know we're gonna have to do it anyway. We'll look while we eat. It can't be THAT hard to find one picture that won't embarrass the livin' daylights out of us," Bo was already grabbing his sandwich from Luke and his own baby book as he spoke. After all, he had to admit, he was curious.

Uncle Jesse had never let him see his own book. Bo remembered once in school he needed pictures for a project and how Uncle Jesse seemed to act so strange about him not seeing the pictures in his book. When Bo asked about the brown envelope in the back of the book that he saw as Jesse picked a few choice pictures out Jesse said he'd tell him about it when he got older.

The Brown Envelope!

Bo flipped to the back of the book. There it was, sealed the same as it was all those years ago. Bo began to carefully open the envelope as he reasoned with himself, _'I'm older now. There ain't no reason not to look at my own danged pictures.'_

Vaguely, he heard Daisy and Luke debating various pictures and their appropriateness for the whole town to see. As Bo opened the envelope, he was mildly surprised to reach in and find not pictures but what appeared to be newspaper clippings. He randomly pulled one out and started to read it.

"Aw come on, Luke! I know it ain't because you're modest. I think these here pictures are down right cute. Look at this one. I bet 'cha some of the gals in town wouldn't mind you modelin' for them like ya are in this here picture."

Daisy giggled as she spied a picture of an infant Luke lying on a bedspread wearing nothing but the smile that God gave him. Luke looked horrified at the picture and proceeded to try to grab yet another offending photo out of his female cousin's hand.

"Hey Bo a little help?"

Luke knew that the only way he was going to get that blasted picture away from Daisy was if he got Bo to help and they tag teamed her. Of course that's if he doesn't go all turn coat on him. After all, just a moment ago he was standing there like a grinning idiot thinking that this was all so danged funny. When Bo didn't respond, Luke looked up just in time to see Bo storming out the kitchen door holding some sort of envelope.

"Hey Bo!" Luke hollered after him as he headed toward the door.

Bo was already jumping into The General by the time Luke reached the door to the yard. Putting the stock car into gear, Bo sent up a cloud of dust so thick that the two remaining cousins had to fight back the mild choking fit that overtook them both.

"Daisy, can I borrow Dixie?" Luke was already heading towards the Jeep as he spoke.

"Sure sugar. But it won't be no use goin' after him. Not the way he tore outta here; and in The General. Dixie's good but she ain't no General. Bo was drivin' like a mad hornet when he left. Best to just let him go." Daisy stood there watching the dissipating cloud of dust; even as she fought her own urge to chase after her baby cousin. "I wonder what got him so riled."

"Who knows? Well, since we ain't goin' to go running Bo down, let's go finish lunch. If anything'll bring Bo back in a hurry, it's his stomach. He only took one bite of his sandwich and the only thing that I've heard for the last hour was how starved he was."

Luke gave Daisy a smile to reassure her despite his own worry for Bo. Placing his arm around Daisy, he steered her back to the house as Uncle Jesse pulled up in his old white pick-up.

"What in the Sam Hill! Luke, that cousin of yours just about ran me off the road coming down Turner's stretch. You two have words again?" Jesse reached across the seat to grab the mail that he went to town for before heading toward the house with his niece and nephew.

"No sir, I don't rightly know what got into Bo. We were all around the table for lunch, lookin' at old pictures and suddenly Bo just ran out the door lookin' madder than a rattler that just got stepped on."

"Pictures?" Jesse suddenly paled. Luke noticed and immediately was at his uncle's side.

"Uncle Jesse?"

"Let's just get inside."

They walk into the kitchen, Luke so close behind his uncle that Jesse bumped him as he pulled out his chair. Reaching over across the table, he grabbed Bo's baby book. Flipping to the back, just as he suspected, he found the brown envelope missing. Jesse released a long hard breath before looking at the two youngsters standing at the table eying him, waiting to see what he might say about Bo's taking off and what the book had to do with it.

"Well, sit down, I guess I'd better explain what Bo found."

Luke and Daisy sat down, both clearly worried now, and Luke noticed that his uncle suddenly looked years older. All of this because of those dang-blasted pictures.

* * *

Bo drove as fast as The General would go. Where he was going didn't matter. He always drove when he was upset. Bo glanced over in the seat next to him at the brown envelope. Not sure what to make of it. He was in such an all fire hurry to open the dang thing, now he looks at it like it's a snake that just lunged at him. As Bo looks around at the road, he realizes he's nearing the county line. He pulls to a stop onto the side of the road and just stares off into the forbidden county. Reaching over to the envelope, Bo braces himself as he pulls out the articles that it contained.

**Abduction at Tri-County Hospital**

He just stared at that headline. Abduction. Kidnapping?

Bo pulled out the lone picture that had been placed in with the articles. In that picture he saw his parents. His dad, and yes Jesse was right he did look just like his dad, holding a small infant wrapped in a blue blanket that clearly had his name stitched into it big as can be. A fleeting thought crossed his mind that that blanket was probably still in the attic with all his other baby things. Beside him sat his mom in her hospital bed with long, shining hair that rivaled the flames of any camp fire. In her arms, she too held a small bundled that obviously was an infant. An infant wrapped in a pink blanket. Pink; a girl. Mom's holding a girl.

My sister.

Bo looked at the picture and allowed the tears to fall for, not just the two people he never got a chance to know, but the third he never even knew ABOUT!

Bo didn't know just how long he sat there. Time didn't seem to mean anything to him at the moment. He read and re-read the articles, most of them anyway. All of them seemed to say the same thing.

Baby Kira Duke was taken by a nurse who had worked in the maternity ward. Apparently, she had recently lost a child of her own. To a woman on the edge, it just didn't seem fair that she had lost her child while another had two. It had just been an ordinary day when the nurse had taken two day old Kira Duke from her mother under the pretense of the doctor needing to check out the small infant before she could be released. It was hours later before the alarm went up, but of course by then, no sign of the nurse or infant could be found.

The papers spoke of Sheriff Coltrane's investigation, of how the case would remain open. Another reported his parents' death and spoke of the still missing six month old. Bo looked over the pieces of newspaper and began to think back on something, or someone, he'd not thought about in years.

_Lavinia was climbing up the stairs on her way to put the boys' laundry away when she heard little three year old Bo chattering away in his room. Smiling to herself, that boy can't stop talking even when there wasn't anyone to listen. Lavinia cocked her head to see if she could figure out what Bo was talking to himself about._

_"You should've seen Luke! He was so mad!" _

_A slight giggle escaped his mouth thinking back on the scene he'd just described. He couldn't help it if Luke put the one car he had wanted to play with up on top of the dresser. Nor was it his fault that everything that had been on the dresser had come crashing down when he moved his toy box over so he could stand on it to reach the car and it knocked over the various other toys and what-nots that had been placed on it. _

_"Luke don't stay mad long though. He still read to me last night out of a book about Peter Pan. Do you like that one too, Kira?"_

_Kira? Lavinia paused at the door and dropped the clothes on the floor. No, she couldn't have heard that right._

_"What do you mean you ain't never heard of it? Don't your momma read it to you?" Bo paused, cocked his head, "Oh, well maybe Luke'll read to you like he does for me. He's in school right now. He says that it's mostly boring there. You have to sit still a lot." _

_Bo turns and sees his Aunt and ran to her with the energy reserved for three year old little boys._

_"Aunt Lavinia! Do you think Luke'll read to Kira? Nobody reads to her. She's awful lonesome most times. You 'kay?" Bo looked at his aunt thinking she looks scared. Something must be wrong._

_"I'm okay baby. You'd have to ask Luke about the reading though. I can't answer for him. Tell you what, after chores you and I will go out shopping for the day. You've been growing like a weed."_

_"Okay. Can Kira come too?"_

_"Let's just the two of us go okay?"_

_Bo looked off to the right at nothing in particular for a few seconds before turning back to his aunt. "Alright." _

_He gave a slight pout but for once, his protest ended there. Lavinia turned to go out of the door with the forgotten laundry and returned to the living room to sit down. _

_Kira, no she heard him right. But he couldn't know about her. Maybe it was just a coincidence. And just maybe, if she kept telling herself that, it'd make it true._

_Later that night, Bo was just climbing into bed as Luke was finding his bookmark in the book he'd been reading to Bo. Bo was just about settled when he remember the question he'd asked Lavinia. "Luke? Can I ask ya some 'em?"_

_"You can ask, I ain't gotta answer, though." Luke couldn't help smiling at his own joke. Oh of course Bo was too young to get it. After all, being a whole seven and half years old, he's a lot smarter than Bo. Luke giggled a little as he sat beside Bo on the bed getting comfortable so he could read to Bo. "What 'cha want Cuz?"_

_"I's thinkin'. Well, Kira doesn't have anyone to read to her. Could you read to her like you read to me?" _

_So that's it. Bo's imaginary friend. Luke couldn't help rolling his eyes. Most little boys would have had made up another little boy as an imaginary friend. But no! Bo seemed content with having a girl as an imaginary friend. Let's face it, his cousin must be weird._

_"If Kira wants to listen, she'd better listen while I read to you, 'cause I ain't reading this twice. Now scoot over, will ya'?" _

_Luke started reading and watched his cousin begin to drift off into a world of lost boys, pirates and fairies. It didn't take long for Bo to fall asleep listening to his cousin read. Luke put the place keeper back in the book and went to find something to keep him busy 'til his own bed time._

Bo just sat in the General, watching the sun start to slowly slide down behind the mountain as dusk settled in Hazzard. What were the odds for his imaginary friend and sister to have the same name?

_Why didn't anyone tell me? Ok, well Luke and Daisy didn't know, he was pretty sure of that. But Uncle Jesse? Why? Why didn't he tell him about his sister? Heck fire! Even Rosco knew about his sister! Just who else has been in on this secret? Boss? Miss Tisdale? Mr. Rhuebottom? Shoot the whole danged town practically! _

So lost in his own thoughts, Bo never noticed a car pull up behind him. Nor did he hear the lone occupant walk up to his car.

"Alright, you Duke! Just what do you think you're doin' up here. Plannin' on makin' a run across the county line are ya'? Well I ought to run you in you-"

"Is it because she was a Duke, Rosco! You figure one less Duke to worry about would be no skin off your back! Is that why you didn't find her?!" Bo shouted at Rosco with all the emotion that had been churning within him for the last several hours. Hot tears threatened to fall but went unnoticed since he now had an outlet for his anger.

"Just what are you talkin' about?"

Rosco leaned down to look into the car and saw in the fading light of dusk the articles in the seat. He didn't need to read them. He had those same articles in a scrap book at home, along with his other cold cases. Rosco put a hand on Bo's shoulder and look at the boy with such sadness.

"Now Bo, I did my best. Why don't you let me take ya' home. That way you can talk your uncle," Rosco yanked his hand back when Bo cranked the car back up.

Stepping aside, Rosco watched as Bo put The General into a one-eighty and sped off. Going back to his patrol car, he reached over to the CB to contact Jesse. No, he decided, the whole county doesn't need to hear this. Instead, Rosco turned the key and pointed his car towards the Duke farm.


	2. Ghosts don't drive

**Chapter 2: Ghosts don't drive**

* * *

_Bo tried to listen to the teacher, honest he did. He just couldn't get that nightmare out of his mind. Kira was hurt. Hurt on purpose too. When he woke up, Luke had been there all worried. He couldn't tell him about the nightmare though. Luke always got upset when he talked about Kira. Luke insisted that she wasn't real. Just an imaginary friend. But why would I make up someone like her? It just wasn't fair!_

_Here Bo had Uncle Jesse, Aunt Lavinia, Luke, even Daisy. Kira was alone. She said that she gets moved around a lot now. Her mama went away. Not sure where. The place she stays at now is scary with scary mean people. Bo was just glad he only had to see them in the nightmares. Kira saw them all the time._

_How come grown-ups don't listen? He tried telling his aunt. She cried for Kira, she did. But she didn't do anything to help her. Bo finally learned not to tell anyone about his conversations with Kira. It only made Aunt Lavinia sad, Luke mad, and Uncle Jesse seemed to be both at the same time._

_So here he was in his kindergarten class, trying to learn his ABC's. He wondered how long it will take to learn to read like Luke. That way he could read to Kira. She'd like that._

* * *

And he did, too. Bo remembered struggling through The Cat and the Hat for the first time so proud of himself. How can memories so clear be of nothing but an imaginary friend? No, not imaginary. Kira was real. Here was proof. He had a sister.

But how...?

Well maybe that was a question that he should have asked long ago. But he never seemed to need to. In his darkest, saddest moments, Kira had listened; just as he did when she had cried. Knew when she had run away from home and wished that he was old enough to help her. And when Luke went off and joined the Marines, well, she was there too.

Luke. The reason he had started to ignore it when he felt Kira tug at him. He stopped calling out to her, too, for their usual conversations right about the time Luke came back from the Marines. At seventeen, it was time to put all things imaginary aside and grow up.

Bo stared out at the darkness around him. He couldn't go home yet. Wasn't ready to listen to _reason_ and to _understand_ the thoughts behind keeping the knowledge of his sister's kidnapping from him.

Oh, he knew Jesse did what he felt was best. He just didn't want to hear it just now.

Bo slid out of The General and walked to stretch out the tension that had built-up into his muscles. After glancing around, Bo figured that the swamp was just as good of place to rest a while until he was ready to go home. He looked up at the moon and let his mind wander just enough. And just as he had done all those years ago, he let out a call that was spoken only by the heart.

Bo, however, was more than just a little surprised when his call was answered.

* * *

"Now Luke, Ya done looked for hours. It's well past dark. Ya won't be able to see a thing if'n you go back out again. Just sit down while I warm your supper. It won't do Bo no good if you go out half starved and get hurt cause ya' can't see where ya steppin. Now sit."

Jesse turned back to the stove knowing that he would be obeyed. He knew Luke was worried about Bo. Daisy was too. He practically had to order her to go on to work and to leave the searching for Bo to he and Luke. Of course Cooter had been enlisted to help, too. Still, no one had spotted even one blond hair of his errant nephew.

"Uncle Jesse, I don't care how upset Bo is! He should've been back hours ago. I can't just sit here."

"No you ain't just gonna sit there. You're gonna eat this here chicken stew, calm down and listen. Right now, I hate to say it but you're probably not someone he wants to see." Jesse saw the protest and hurt look in Luke's eyes as he added, "Cause unlike him, your story so to speak, had a happy ending. As an adult, you've gotten a chance to get to know Judd. That's something he can't do. You have to sit back and let him grieve in his own way."

Luke hated it when his uncle made since. He really did. Especially when it got in the way of his reaching out to where ever Bo was and hauling him home whether he wanted to come or not. So instead of going out again looking for a tall blond needle in the haystack of Hazzard, here he sat. Eating his stew without even tasting it. Eating it because he was told to.

As he ate, he thought back to bits of his childhood that, only now, gave him chills. Kira was real. Uncle Jesse explained the first time Aunt Lavinia found Bo talking to Kira.

Of course Luke knew about her but the name had meant nothing to him. She was convinced that Bo was talking to the ghost of his missing sister; especially after the nurse was finally caught when Bo was four. Kira wasn't with her anymore. When asked about her, the woman merely said she got rid of her. Said she always was off talking to thin air. She claimed that it was just her luck to pick a kid that was totally nuts. It was that lady that was nuts.

The jury thought so too and sent her to a hospital for treatment instead of prison. Luke saw the anger in his uncle's eyes when he had gotten to that part of the story when he'd told him and Daisy. Hearing it come from his uncle, he was half ready to go find that nurse himself. Not sure what he'd do if he found her though.

Luke had just finished his stew when there was a knock at the door. Jesse opened the door to find Rosco standing there with his hat in his hand.

"Bo! Somethin's happened, hadn't it? Rosco? Where's my boy?" Luke came in after hearing Jesse's words.

"No. Jesse. He ain't hurt. Not physically anyway. I just saw him a while back up at Junction Road. I pulled up and found him sittin' on the side of the road. He's taken it pretty hard. I kinda wish he didn't have to know."

"Junction Road, Uncle Jesse I-" Luke had already started to grab his coat ready to go fetch his cousin.

"Now Luke, Bo ain't there no more. When I suggested for him to come home, he took off like a windmill in a tornado. No tellin' where he is. But at least you know he's alright. I almost used the CB but figured it best not to let the whole county know what's goin' on. I'll go out and help look for him in the mornin'. Enos, too. We'll make sure Bo gets home; don't you worry none."

"Thank ya, Rosco. For lettin' me know you saw em and for the offer to help find em. I'd be lyin' if'n I said I wasn't a mite worried right now."

"Well, I guess I'd better get goin'. I just wish it could've had a different kind of endin'. Bo's a good kid with a good heart. I kinda hate to see it broken like I did today."

Rosco left, head held low. He felt the same way as he did when he deliver the news to Jesse and Lavinia that the woman claimed she had gotten rid of the child that been stolen from her family.

Luke stared after Rosco for a moment before closing the door behind him. Looks like all this is bringing up awful memories for the sheriff just like it was the family. Well, if his uncle won't let him go back out tonight, he'd best go on and get some sleep so he could get an early start on morning chores. Least wise so he could get out and find Bo at first light.

* * *

Bo stopped in his tracks. It had been years but not so long that he couldn't remember the tug his heart felt when he and Kira had talked. Had he really been talking to a ghost? It hadn't felt like it. But if she wasn't imaginary, didn't that mean she had to be a ghost?

_'Bo? What's wrong?'_

_'You really there Kira?'_ Bo could feel a smile coming from his sister.

His sister.

_'Of course I am. Have I ever NOT been here when you called? What's wrong?'_ Kira paused for a second while Bo tried to figure out where to start. How do you tell your sister that she's a ghost?_ 'On second thought, where are you?'_

Bo looked around at the swamp. Shouldn't she know where I am? _'I'm at the swamp. Off Crowler's turn off. Why?'_

_'I'm coming there. I'm only twenty minutes away.'_

Bo knew he didn't hear that right. As little sense as it made, Bo knew he'd stay and see just what would come his way. He went back to The General for his old coat he kept in the trunk. It was just the cool night air that had set a chill to his bones. That's all; really.

Bo climbed up on the hood of The General, resting on the orange stock car, leaning back on the windshield. Again, Bo fingered the envelope that he had tucked into his jacket. Life had been so much simpler when he had woke up in the old farm house in the room he shared with his cousin and best friend Luke.

Was it only just this morning that he had joked with his cousin about all the relatives that would, in just a few days, come in like an invading army to the Duke farm for Thanksgiving? It just didn't seem possible to have gone from a carefree, happy guy to the broken shell of a man he now felt like after opening a seemingly harmless envelope.

His simple life had been replaced by one that included kidnappings, ghosts and apparently a looser hold on his own sanity than he'd always thought he had a firm hold on.

Sitting listening to the sounds of the swamp around him, the emotional toll of the day finally began to set in as he felt the weight of his eyelids grow far too heavy to remain open. In a matter of moments, Bo was sound asleep in a dream-filled sleep that offered little rest.

A short while latter, a dark green pick-up pulled in just behind the orange stock car with a 01 painted on the doors. The driver got out and walked up to the car. There on the hood, using the windshield as an uncomfortable pillow, lay a tall blond whose features were so familiar though she had never seen him a day in her life. Those features now were drawn in a face of discomfort. It was obvious that the young man was lost in a nightmare of some kind.

Leaning over, she placed her hand on the left shoulder of the man and began to wake him from his private horror.

"Bo. Bo, wake up."

Bo heard someone say his name. He knew that voice. _Great._ He's left one nightmare only to be woken up by a ghost. He's not ready to wake up and face reality yet so he tries to ignore the voice and the pressure on his shoulder.

"Bo, come on. It's too cold to stay out here all night. It's freezing. You'll catch your death of cold if you don't wake up."

Death. Yep that word is really the only word that stuck in his brain. A ghost talking about him catching his death by sitting out in the swamp.

"Come on, Bo. You are the one to call me, remember? Wake up, please."

Okay, please is what did it. How could he not acknowledge his sister, ghost or not after she asked so nicely?

Bo opened his eyes not really ready to see what he found. The face that greeted him was far too familiar. He had been staring at a near carbon copy all afternoon.

_She looks just like mom._

The thought flitted across his mind along with a muddle of other thoughts that he really didn't want to give a voice to. Bo sat up but didn't say anything. He didn't know what to say. Instead, he just stared at the image of the young woman standing beside him.

She had a pale complexion (well let's face it ghosts don't get out in the sun that often), long red hair nearly to her waist and (though Bo couldn't see them in the moon light) he was willing to bet that like most Dukes she had blue eyes. He had to look away. Looking at her was just too painful.

"You okay?" To Kira, he looked lost. She knew of only one thing that had ever done that to him before. "Luke? Has something happened to Luke? Is he alright?"

Kira slid up on the car beside the man she had both never met before yet knew all her life just the same. If she really thought about it, she really came to see if she was crazy. Had her imaginary friend from all those years ago really existed?

She had been on her way back to Atlanta from a Motor-cross race when she felt herself being called to like she hadn't been in years. She had halfway convinced herself that Bo was only a figment of her imagination; that the mind of a scared little girl had created him to help make reality easier to cope with. She was just outside of Hazzard, a county that had always seemed to pull her towards itself but she would stubbornly avoid (even if it meant taking a long route to wherever she needed to go), when Bo had called out to her. Tonight, when she felt Bo call, she fought her own stubbornness and came to the one place she had always wanted to come yet stayed away all her life.

"Bo, look at me. What's wrong?"

Bo turned to look at Kira. _'I thought ghosts were more transparen.,' The_thought crossed his mind and through their link before he could stop it.

"Ghost? You want to explain that one? Last I checked, ghost don't drive."

Kira glanced behind them at her truck as if to show Bo that she had indeed driven here and not had just appeared from thin air. Slight amusement was revealed in her voice.

Bo followed her eyes and sees a dark green pick-up parked behind The General. Bo jumped off the hood and walked back to the truck. His mind must really be working overtime. How can he be creating so many details out of nothing?

Looking in the truck's bed, Bo even saw a motorcycle strapped down, a racer of some sorts by the looks of it. He may not know much about motorcycles, but he knew a racing machine when he sees one.

He looked back at Kira who was still waiting for him to say something as she leaned one hip against the side of The General. Suddenly, a realization hit Bo. She's NOT a ghost. She was real. His sister really was standing before him in the flesh.

Bo bound over to her and wrapped her in hug so tight that Kira had to shift her weight to loosen his grip just enough so that she could breathe. She wound her own arms around Bo's waist to return the hug of the man who had yet to really say anything to her. As Bo sobbed quietly into Kira's hair, she could only make out one phrase.

"You're alive. You're alive."

* * *

Wiping down the counter, Daisy looked out at the usual Saturday night crowd at the Boar's Nest. Well the usual crowd minus three. The search for Bo had been called off until morning. She wondered just how Uncle Jesse had convinced Luke to stop for the night.

Knowing Luke, he had fought it tooth and nail. She also knew that Luke wasn't going to be getting much sleep tonight. Not with Bo's empty bed right next to his. He'll likely be right back out looking for Bo before the sun would even think of shining. Her dark-haired cousin was as protective over the rest of the family as a mama bear of her cubs, especially of Bo.

Uncle Jesse and Aunt Lavinia had always been a little bit more protective of Bo than the other two children in their care. Now she knew why. It was as if they had expected for someone to come in at any moment to snatch him away, too, to take him to join his missing sister. And Luke, instead of being jealous of Bo, picked up on the underlying feeling that Bo needed extra watching and jumped in with both feet.

Those two had always been so close. Only two things had ever seemed to really put those two at REAL odds against each other. Diane Benson, no need going into all that, and when they were younger it was his imaginary friend Kira. Luke was right about Diane, but it now seems that Bo was right about Kira. She was real, just as Bo had repeatedly claimed when they were all youngens.

A shiver ran down Daisy's spine as she thought about all those hours that Bo would sit there talking with or about his sister's ghost. A ghost.

Daisy couldn't imagine what Bo was thinking about right now. How would she handle it if they had been in each other's places? She didn't rightly know. Not sure she really wanted to think about it either.


	3. Touch Down!

**Chapter 3: Touch Down!**

* * *

Kira waited patiently for Bo to gather himself enough to talk. She just held onto him while he clung to her like she was a lifeline to a drowning man. After several moments, Bo's grip loosened slightly, but not by much. Kira looked up at Bo's face trying to think of something to break the silence. The silence, however, was broken by a not so quiet sound that spoke of Bo's stomach protesting the lack of attention. Kira smiled at the embarrassed look that crossed Bo's face.

"Come on. Let's find some place warm to sit and talk. I'll buy you something to eat."

Kira disentangled herself from Bo and headed to her truck. Bo started to get into The General out of habit but stopped himself. After a moment's hesitation, he instead walked to the truck as well.

Kira raised her eyebrow slightly but didn't say anything. Instead she put the truck in gear. She knew that the only place open at this time of night in a town like Hazzard would be the local bar. Looking over at Bo, she decided that whatever he needed to talk about, he wouldn't be able to do it there. Instead, she headed for the highway.

Bo didn't say anything as she pointed the truck away from town. Instead he spent the ride staring at his sister trying to make sense of everything. How was it that he and Kira could be so connected without ever knowing about the other?

He knew that he and Luke always seemed to be able to sense when each other was in trouble. A sixth-sense. Uncle Jesse claimed that he could tell when he and Luke were in trouble because his big toe would hurt. But having complete conversations from miles away?

Was it because he and Kira are twins? Bo had heard that twins tended to have special connections. Shoot, most would probably think he and Luke must be twins to have such a strong connection, even though they were four years apart in age. If he was so strongly tied to Luke, maybe it only made sense that he'd be even more connected to his twin. Despite the lack of physical contact while growing up.

So lost in his thoughts, it took him a while to realize that Kira had pulled into the parking lot of a diner. He didn't recognize it. He only knew that he wasn't in the Tri-County area anymore. Well, at least no one should recognize him then. Getting out of the truck, he followed Kira in. An older woman walked over with some menus and led them to a table in the nearly empty restaurant.

"What can I get you to drink?" The waitress handed them their silverware and took out her notepad to take their order.

"Coffee please," Bo answered. Fatigue still was pulling at him relentlessly.

"Sweet tea, please." Kira didn't miss the slight roll of the waitress's eyes. It would have been easier if she only needed to bring the coffee pot around. Now she'd also have to bring out a pitcher of tea for just one customer.

Bo looked at Kira knowing she was silently waiting for him to tell her what had caused him to call out to her. He just didn't know where to start.

"So, uh, you race?" Bo knew that he was taking the coward's way for now. He just needed more time.

Kira looked at him for a moment then glance out at her truck and bike. Okay, she could wait a little longer. She could see the silent plea in Bo's eyes. She'd not push just yet. After all, she wasn't anything if not patient. A virtue that had been born by necessity over the years.

"Yep, my only real source of cutting loose I guess. I love it. You race too or was that fancy lookin' paint-job on that car of yours just for show?"

"Race in every race we can, both Luke and I. The General is the fastest car in at least three counties." Bo smiled with pride. The first smile he'd smiled since opening the brown envelope at lunch. Remembering the envelope, he fingered it on the seat beside him where he sat it when he took his jacket off when they came in. Before he could say anything else, the waitress was back with their drinks.

"Well have you decided what to order yet or do you need a minute?"

Bo looked over at the forgotten menus, then to Kira.

"How about you just bring us a couple of specials?" Kira ordered for them both.

She wasn't sure what the special might be but right now, she finally had Bo talking and she didn't want to have to stop him even to just look at the menus. He didn't seem to mind, though. Granted, Kira knew that it wasn't racing that had caused him to be so upset earlier, but it seemed to relax him a bit.

For the next half hour or so, they talked about various races they both had been in; including a charity event that Kira had just raced in earlier that day for an area women's shelter. She explained that each driver got together sponsors that agreed to donate according to the driver's placing at the end of the race. In total, a little over ten thousand dollars had been raised.

"Wow! Now I think Daisy might would like to arrange an event like that. And for once I wouldn't mind when she'd came around to recruiting me and Luke."

Kira laughed as Bo proceeded to tell her of some of the things that Daisy had conned the two fellas into doing in the name of charity. Then the mood seemed to turn suddenly. Bo let out a deep sigh as he pushed his empty plate aside and put the brown envelope that he'd been fingering since they came in onto the table.

"Daisy was working on a new project when Luke and I came in for lunch today. When we came in she was sittin' at the table with mounds of family albums looking through pictures for some sort of game she and Lulu were going to have for next weekend's festival.

She and I joked around about some of Luke's pictures that she was going through, just having a good time. You know? Well, I got my baby book out to find a picture for her to use. Considering the pictures she was finding of Luke, it was safer for me to find my own picture."

Kira smiled at his attempt to lighten the mood.

"Well, anyway. In my book, was this brown envelope. I opened it up, figuring it would just be more pictures." Bo had to stop as he remembered the emotions that unraveled in him in those first few moments upon opening the envelope.

"Were there pictures in it?" Kira asked trying to prod him into continuing his story.

"Just one." Bo took out the only picture that showed their family whole and complete. He handed it to Kira before continuing, "And with that picture, was a dozen or so newspaper clippings."

Bo pulled those out as well. He placed each one on the table in front of his sister. Kira looked over the pieces of paper, scanning the headlines. One headline in particular caught her eye.

**Where is Baby Kira? Duke family still holds out hope for finding missing infant.**

Kira?

She looked up at Bo to confirm what he was implying. He wouldn't look at her. Not directly anyway. Then she took a closer look at the picture. Could these really be her parents?

Kira began to systematically read through the articles by date. They told the story of how Kira Duke had been kidnapped at two days old. Of how all searches had come up empty. The family had even pitched in together in an effort to offer a reward for any information leading to the missing child.

The last article was from when she was four. Explaining how the nurse had finally been found, though without the missing Duke, and her claims of getting rid of the child.

_Wait a minute. That would have been the same time that I was sent into foster care..._

Kira looked at the photograph again, looking harder at the woman in the picture. Okay, her own hair was a deeper red, but other than that, the woman in the picture looked almost exactly like her.

"You look like Mom. I noticed that when you woke me up. Of course, I thought you were dead, so I thought I was seeing a ghost." Bo reached out to place a hand on hers.

Kira looked up with tears in her eyes. Yes, now she fully understood Bo's reaction to her earlier. Bo has gone from being her childhood imaginary friend, to flesh and blood, to now being her brother. Not just her brother, her TWIN!

She opened her mouth to try to find something to say, but was interrupted (or saved, since she didn't really know what to say) by the waitress walking up and briskly leaving the bill on the table.

"I think that's our cue to leave." Kira tried to sound amused. "I'd better go pay. I'll be right back."

Kira went up to the register as Bo started to put the papers back into the envelope. Once that was done, the two headed back to the truck. Again, with an unspoken agreement, the two headed out. This time, the truck was pointed toward Atlanta as the twins filled each other in on various parts of life that they had missed over the years.

A couple hours later, they had pulled into the parking deck of Kira's apartment building. Once inside her apartment, Kira checked her machine for any messages. There was one so she played it.

_"Kira, Michelle. Listen. Something's come up so Tom and I have to head out to Carolina early. Tom had tickets to the game Sunday and hates to see them go to waste. I'm leaving them on the desk. You can come by and get them if you want to go. I'm sure it won't be hard to get someone, even at the last minute, to go with you. Hope you enjoy them. See you in a week."_

Kira smiled as she turned to Bo. "Want to go to the Falcons' game?"

"Who they playin'?"

"Does it matter?"

"Nope."

Kira grabbed some spare blankets from the closet and went and sat on the couch. "Didn't think so. Go on and take the bed, I'll see you in the morning."

"Wait a minute. You don't have to give up your room. I'm more than willing to sleep on the couch." Bo walked over to the small couch. "Wouldn't be the first time I slept on a couch, you know."

"Yes, but there's just a little too much you and not enough couch. I'm shorter than you. So go on and get. Besides, my home, my rules." Kira was already starting to straighten the blankets out as Bo realized that there was no arguing with her.

"Alright, see you in the morning." Bo bent down to kiss the top of her head.

"Night Bo-bear." Kira giggled as she used her childhood nickname for Bo for the first time out loud.

Bo made a face then laughed too. "Just do me a favor, don't ever call me that in front of Luke… or Cooter."

Both were still smiling as they both drifted off into sleep in their respective beds for the night.

* * *

Luke figured that he'd might as well get on up and get a start on morning chores. He got up and got dressed to head on out. Looking over at the empty bed in the room, Luke wavered between saying a silent prayer for his cousin, hoping he was safe, and swearing that when he found him HE'D tan his hide for making everyone worry so much about him.

Despite doing the chores alone, he was finished in record time. Heading inside, Luke found Jesse busy making breakfast.

"Mornin'. I figured you'd be up already. Sit on down. Breakfast is almost ready."

Luke walked over to the sink to wash up before sitting down.

"Any idea where you'll look today?"

"Well, I thought he would have gone to one of the still sites. But I'm guessin' not since Rosco saw em up on Junction Road. Ain't no tellin' where he's at now. I suppose I'll start at still site 3 since the old shack would have at least given him a roof overnight. I'll get Cooter to check the Indian caves again for me."

"Rosco CB'd and said he's on his way to check the old mills and factories." He saw Luke's look of surprise at hearing Rosco was already up and on the move. "Looks like we weren't the only ones losin' sleep over Bo last night. He said he'll send Enos to check out the swamp."

"Well, I guess that should be a good start then. One of us is bound to spot him."

Luke hoped that Bo was alright. All he could think about all night was that look that had been on his face when he had stormed out. In that one look he looked hurt, frustrated, angry, sad, and betrayed all at once. One thing in their favor today at least, Bo most likely won't be on the move as he had been yesterday. The anger should have cooled a few notches overnight.

Of course anger wouldn't have been the only thing to have cooled overnight. There was a freeze warning last night which worried Luke. What if his fool of a cousin didn't find shelter last night? No, Bo was smarter than that. He's alright, at least until Luke found him that is.

* * *

As Bo woke up, he looked around in confusion as he took in the unfamiliar room. He knew that he wasn't in his own bed nor was Luke in the same room with him. Sitting up, Bo remembered everything that had happened the day before. KIRA! Please don't let that part be a dream.

_'Kira!'_

_'What?'_

Okay, that was a first. For once he is the first to wake up in the morning. Luke would be so proud. On second thought, looking at the clock, at six-thirty maybe proud wouldn't exactly be the right word.

_ 'Just checking.'_

Bo could hear Kira mutter in the next room about getting so abruptly woken up after having gone to bed so late last night. Bo chuckled to himself and went ahead and made himself presentable before heading out to poke around in the kitchen. Looking through the cabinets, Bo saw that he had the choice of instant oatmeal or Cheerios. He grabbed the oatmeal and made enough for Kira too. He put the bowls on the table as Kira walked in looking a little worse for wear after their late night talk. Of course after a life-time of living with Daisy, he knew better than tell a woman that.

"Mornin' Darlin', rise and shine."

Kira made a look as she answered Bo, "I'll shine when the sun does." She threw herself in a chair and smiled a weak smile of thanks for the breakfast.

Bo grinned at her. It looked like his sister is less of a morning person than even he is. "Just be glad I ain't Luke. He would've woke you up an hour ago."

Oh now that made Kira look up fast. Remembering that those two were used to having to get up to do farm chores before breakfast, Kira just groaned at the thought of the possibility of having lost more sleep.

"What time's the game?"

"Kick offs at one. Traffic's gonna suck though so we'll need to leave early to get the tickets and get our seats." Kira looks at Bo for a second before adding, "You wanna call home? Tell em all your alright?"

Bo knew he should. He could do it right now. Everyone would be up by now. But just what would he say?

"In a few hours. Before we leave, I'll do it then." Bo stared out the window over the sink watching the beginnings of the sunrise. He'll call home soon.

* * *

"Alright, the bike's unloaded. You about ready?" Bo turned to see Kira walking her motorcycle into the living room. Bo looked on with amusement. Now that had to of been a sight, Kira on the elevator with her bike. "What? I always park my bike up here. Better than paying for a second parking space."

Bo laughed and so did Kira.

"Well, you make that call yet? I can take you home after the game if you want. Other than that you'll have to wait. I've got to go into the office Monday and Tuesday. You can stay if you don't mind waiting a couple of days before heading back."

"I'm making the call now."

Bo walked over to the phone and picked up the receiver. He dialed all but the last number before hanging up. Glancing over at Kira as she set her bike up in what appeared to be its usual spot, Bo picked up the phone again, this time dialing a different set of numbers. Silently he prayed that he'd get an answer despite the fact it was Sunday. On the third ring, he got his wish.

_"Cooter's Garage, Cooter speakin'."_ Bo paused, still not sure what to say to anyone in Hazzard. _"Hello, anyone there?"_

"Cooter. It's Bo."

_"BO! We've been lookin' all over for you. Where you at Buddy Roe?"_

"Yea, I know ya'll been lookin'. That's why I'm callin'. So ya'll can stop. I'm alright. I just need a couple of days is all. Call Uncle Jesse for me. Tell em I'm fine and I'll be home in a few days okay? And tell him that I'm bringing home a surprise."

_"Sure Buddy Roe, but where you at? Don't 'cha want to call home yourself?"_

"No, Coot. Just do me that favor, please. Call off the search party, okay? And tell everyone to not worry about me. Gotta go. Later."

Bo hung up before Cooter could say anything else. Turning, he grabbed his coat and went to the door to wait for Kira. Together they headed out for their first real outing of brother/sister bonding.

* * *

Luke had just finished searching still site three when Enos went out over the CB saying that he found The General Lee out at the swamp. All the searchers immediately met over at Old Crowler's turn off where Enos had found the only sign of Bo. When they all got to the swamp, Enos told everyone that he hadn't found any tracks leading inward to the swamp. The only ones he'd found had been those around where The General was parked and some leading to where a vehicle had been parked behind it.

Immediately, Luke didn't like the looks of any of it. Would Bo leave with a stranger? Not willingly, surely. And anyone they knew would've called the farm to let everyone know where Bo was at. But here sat The General, but no Bo.

Now what? Bo could literally be ANYWHERE!

Of course, Bo was experienced enough to not leave obvious signs if he had wanted to go into the swamp without being followed. He sent Cooter back to the garage with Jesse's truck. He'd keep the stock car with him while he looked around a little bit more.

Cooter had just gotten back to the garage when he heard the phone ring. Tempted to let it ring in his worry for Bo, he answers it anyway. "Cooter's Garage, Cooter speakin'." There was a pause on the other end of the line. Maybe it was some kids prank-callin'. "Hello, anyone there?"

_"Cooter. It's Bo."_

"BO! We've been lookin' all over for you. Where you at Buddy Roe?"

_"Yea, I know ya'll been lookin'. That's why I'm callin'. So ya'll can stop. I'm alright. I just need a couple of days is all. Call Uncle Jesse for me. Tell em I'm fine and I'll be home in a few days okay? And tell him that I'm bringing home a surprise."_

"Sure Buddy Roe, but where you at? Don't 'cha want to call home yourself?"

_"No, Coot. Just do me that favor, please. Call off the search party, okay? And tell everyone to not worry about me. Gotta go. Later." _

Well, Dang! He just talked to Bo and still didn't have a clue about where he was at. Walking over to the CB, Cooter prepared himself to pass on Bo's message. Jesse and Luke weren't going to like this any better than if they hadn't heard from Bo at all. But, he'd told Bo he would tell them.

* * *

"OH COME ON! THAT WAS OFF SIDES YOU MORON!"

Bo watch in amazement as Kira hollered out at the referee who obviously couldn't hear her. As he did so, he tried to imagine Daisy at the game instead. She would have never of even known what was going on down on the field, much less of joined in on the screaming match the fans had started after an oh-so-wrong call. The score was tied so that amped up the reaction to the bad call even more so considering it could make or break the game.

"What are you smiling at? Didn't think I actually knew the game did ya?"

"Nope. That and I was tryin' to picture Daisy at a game. I always have to explain everything to her whenever I watch one on TV. Luke knows the game; he just lost interest in it though. Guess I have a new game day partner, huh?" Bo reached over and gave Kira a squeeze around her shoulders.

Looking around, he wondered why they even bothered putting seats in these huge stadiums considering that no one was sitting anyway. A game where the crowd was sitting down was a game that was a bore. Well, they'll sit during the half-time show at least. But for right now, the crowd once again was going wild as the Falcons caught an interception.

* * *

After clearing the stadium traffic, Kira headed to the backstreets. She knew that unless she wanted to make her trip home more than doubled in time, it was best to stay off the main streets. The Falcons won in overtime with a Hail Mary play.

Kira had bought a couple of souvenir shirts before they left. She knew that the game was even better because it was something that both she and Bo could enjoy together. They were so different yet so alike in other ways that it could be scary. Though she fully intended on making him pay for how she woke up, it was great to wake up this morning knowing that she was no longer alone in the world.

Getting back to her apartment, they ordered a pizza and Bo told her more of life in Hazzard. Of his and Luke's habit of getting caught up in Boss Hogg's schemes. That was when Kira learned that Bo was on probation. He said it was no big deal; he should be fine since no one actually SAW him leave and no one knew what vehicle to watch for to catch him coming back across the line. As long as he wasn't caught in the process of going home he'd have nothing to worry about.

Despite Bo's assurances, Kira started thinking of a way to keep Bo from getting arrested the moment he got back home. She'd wait to tell him about it later.

He finally confessed to calling Cooter instead of calling home, too. She just listened as he tried to convince himself that it was just as good as calling Jesse, Daisy, or Luke. She knew he felt bad about making them worry.

Kira had to admit, a part of her was jealous of the obvious closeness that Bo had to his Uncle and cousins. _No, not his, OURS,_ she thought.

Kira also had shared her fears that she wouldn't be able to adjust to life with a family after such a long time where that word had held no meaning for her. She and Bo sat up on the couch again talking half the night away before falling asleep where they were; Bo's arm protectively around Kira.

Once during the night, Kira fell into a nightmare of flashbacks of another lifetime. In his sleep, Bo tightened his grip and Kira's nightmare fled as, for the first time in her life, she truly felt safe.


	4. A Favor Asked

**Chapter 4: A Favor Asked**

* * *

Kira woke up first this morning and did her best to slip away without waking Bo. The last two days replayed themselves in Kira's mind as she proceeded to get ready for work.

In the last forty-eight hours, she had been shown more affection than she could ever remember being on the receiving end of. As an adult, touch has always meant a professional handshake or two; nothing more. As a child, Kira had learned to dread touch. Usually touch came in the form of pain. Usually...

Kira shook the thoughts away. Looking over at Bo's sleeping form, she worried that she'd hurt him the first time she'll pull away. She knew it will happen. She'd had fought it a couple of times already. It felt so strange to want, love, even need that closeness and fear it at the same time.

After she finished pulling her hair back in a low ponytail, Kira walked over to the stereo, turn it to rock station, then blasted the volume. Kira watched on in amusement as Bo literally jumped off the couch. He quickly looked around trying to figure out what was going on until his eyes fell on Kira. She turned the stereo off laughing.

"Mornin' Darlin'. Rise and shine!" Kira parroted Bo's greeting from the previous morning. Bo ran his hand through his blond hair smiling as he understood that this was her slight revenge for yesterday.

"Mornin'. Been up long?" Obviously she had by looking at the way she was dressed. "You should've woke me."

"I just did, Bo-bear. Besides, I ain't been up longer than about half an hour. I figured I'd leave the truck for you use today. If you're stayin' a few days, you'll need to go get a couple changes of clothes. Otherwise, Daisy'll have just burn that there outfit you've been wearing since Saturday."

Kira saw Bo look away. Oh she knew that he planned on being stubborn about her not spending more money on him. Duke Pride and stubbornness. Well, she had her own share, too.

"If it makes you feel better, you can keep them here when you go home. That way, the next time you come for an impromptu visit, you won't have to worry about packin'."

Kira knew how to read people, knew how to state her argument and set out reason in front them before they could argue back. That's what made her so good at what she did. So of course, Bo couldn't fight with that kind of logic. Actually, he liked the idea of leaving physical proof that he had been here and planned to come back.

"Alright. What time you think you'll be gettin' back?"

"I should be done by lunch. It'll be a slow week. Really I only need to run a few quick errands. Deliver some paperwork, have some signed, that kind of stuff. Answer a few calls."

Kira went over to her Bike and did a quick once over out of habit. Bo picked up her helmet and noticed it was painted with a bird of some kind on it.

"What's this? I've never seen this before." Bo traced the bird with his finger as Kira came over to him.

"It's a Phoenix. I was told that she and I are a lot alike. The Phoenix is said to be nearly impossible to kill. If you do succeed in killing her, her body bursts into flames. She is then reborn of the ashes of her own death. Thus, alive and well to take revenge out on who ever had brought her harm." Kira took the helmet from Bo and took it to her bike.

Bo was silent for a minute. "It fits. After all, just this weekend you were reborn in a sense from your own death. Remember it was only two days ago you were a ghost. Now, well..."

Bo had intended on being light about it but he had to stop as his voice cracked. Instead, Bo pulled Kira into a hug. Words weren't his usual way of showing how he felt. So he fell back on his usual manner of communicating. He felt Kira stiffen slightly before she relaxed into the hug. Some of the shared memories of Kira's childhood floated up into his mind. He wasn't sure if it was him or Kira that were remembering them, but he understood that they were the reason for her stiffening.

Bo gave her one last squeeze before letting her go. "You better get goin' I guess," he said as he stepped back.

"I guess so. I left the keys on the table for you. I'll be back in a while." With that, Kira walked her motorcycle out the door.

Bo went to the kitchen to get breakfast and saw the truck keys on the table. Along with the keys was the money Kira expected him to use to buy some clothes. Dang it, he was a Duke. He can't just spend her money. But he agreed to Kira's request, and he had to admit, he did need a change of clothes. So after he ate, he headed out to go find a place to get some clothes.

* * *

"Judge Barclay!" Kira practically ran to catch up to the judge before the elevator closed. Barclay put a hand on the elevator to hold it for the young woman headed his way.

"Miss Kyle, how are you?"

"I'm fine. How's Sam been doin'?" Sam was his daughter. She had gone through a rough patch a while back and Kira had sort of become her mentor. It was her help with Sam that Kira hoped would help her now. "And you of course." Kira smiled at the older man as his face lit up.

"She's made a complete turn around. Her teachers all say she's like a different person. I've been meaning to call to ask you to Thanksgiving dinner. It's the least I can do after all you've done to help Sam. What with no family and all of your own, I'd be happy to have you come out."

"Oh you don't have to worry about that none. In fact, I need to talk to you about something." Kira paused before adding, "And I need a favor."

Kira wasn't in the habit of asking favors of anyone. Judge Barclay knew that. He looked at her for a second before answering her.

"Well come on up to my chambers and fill me in on this favor of yours and I'll see what I can do."

* * *

Mean while, back in Hazzard, despite Bo's call to stop worrying for him, the search party still worried. Now it was because they hoped they could find him before Hogg did. He had traced Bo's call to Atlanta. The call had been too short to get an exact location though. But just knowing Bo wasn't in Hazzard was enough for Boss. And in spite of Rosco's pleas to go easy on the Duke just this once, Boss was insistent that Bo was to be arrested the moment he showed back up in Hazzard.

Back at the Duke farm, the three remaining Dukes were left knowing that this time; there would be no wiggle room in getting Bo out of trouble. Once Bo showed up, the reunion would be short lived for sure. But even with all that was going on, they continued to prepare for the onslaught of Dukes that would begin to filter in over the next couple of mornings.

Coy and Vance were due to arrive the next morning to help set up the extra cots and whatever else would be needed to be done as the majority of Dukes would be coming in throughout Wednesday. Judd would be the last to arrive, not scheduled to arrive until Thursday morning.

Daisy sat at the table trying to plan out what else she needed so she'd be prepared for Thanksgiving but just couldn't seem to put her heart into it. Just a couple of days ago she had sat in this very spot teasing Luke about his pictures. It had been in this spot when Bo had learned abruptly that he wasn't born an only child as he had always been led to believe. It was here, that the family seemed to crumble as Bo ran out of here in blind anger. And it was here that Daisy just sat thinking about her lost, baby cousin.

Okay, he could hardly be called her Baby Cousin anymore. He had long since out-grown all of them; even Luke, who had always seemed larger than life to her.

Bo was by far the most sensitive of the Dukes. He seemed to feel everything on the extreme. When he was happy, no one could seem to do anything but be happy with him. But when he cried, it could break the heart of anyone nearby. Even Boss had been known to fight back tears as the youngest Duke cried.

Daisy looked out the kitchen door as she once again wondered why Bo went to Atlanta and how he'd gotten there. She only hoped that she could ask him before Boss had Rosco put him _"under the jail"._

* * *

Bo headed back into Kira's apartment building with his lone bag. The prices here in Atlanta were nearly double of those at Rhuebottom's. He had grudgingly purchases two pairs of jeans and two plain blue T-shirts. The only bright part of the whole ordeal was when he had gotten to flirt with the cashier.

She was already looking a bit frazzled so early in the day due to the other shoppers who seemed to go out of their way to be rude to the sales staff. So of course, when it came his turn to be waited on, Bo had turned his southern charm on in high gear. By the time he had gotten his change, the woman was alternating between various shades of red.

Once inside, Bo hastily changed into one of his newly acquired outfits then set about to doing the laundry so his clothes would be ready for him when it was time to return to Hazzard. Just because he didn't usually do laundry didn't mean he COULDN'T do laundry after all.

With that done, Bo began to wander the apartment to really take in his sister's home. It had no pictures or personal touches really. It reminded Bo of a set for a play. A place made up to look like someone lived here but lacked real substance. True, at least Kira had set up a keyboard in the bedroom. He should have known. Music was in a Duke's blood just as much as racing is.

Bo knew he was snooping but he figured he'd be forgiven. On the top shelf of the closet, Bo found a scrapbook that held Kira's GED and college diplomas. Go figure, a Duke went off to college and no one even knew she was alive. It also held various articles from some of the races she'd participated in.

In the back of the book, Bo found an obituary to the first person that had ever really tried to help Kira. Bo sent up a silent prayer of thanks for the long since gone, self-appointed guardian angel that had taken Kira in as a teenager. He stared at the picture of the man who had helped Kira turn her life away from the hopelessness that usually comes with having lived on the streets. Closing the scrapbook, Bo replaced it on the shelf in the closet.

Turning back to keyboard, he notices that it had a record feature. Bo pushed play to hear the last piece that Kira had recorded. The melody that flowed around him was a sad, soulful sort. It seemed to convey all the emotions that had been so prominent in Kira's life. Fear, sadness, dread, and anger. Halfway through though, the melody changed. Bits of lighter strands began to filter their way into the piece. Almost like it symbolized a recognition of a turning point in life. Slowly, the lighter strands over took the melody giving it a happier sound despite the dark undertones that still played in the background.

So lost in the music, Bo never noticed when his sister returned from work. Realizing that she hadn't been seen, Kira slipped back out and headed to the kitchen and began to make sandwiches for lunch. Standing here in the kitchen as Bo listened to the piece that she had not allowed anyone else to hear, it just seemed right that Bo hear it. After all, he was the only LIVING person that knew of everything that she had been through during her childhood. Kira recorded this piece for the first time shortly after Ben died.

Ben Kyle, a stubborn old man who took great pleasure in getting one over on his selfish kids. He told them that if they were too busy and self-important to give him grand kids, he'd just go out and pick one.

Kira still could hardly believe that fate had put her in the right place at the right time. It had irked his kids to no end when the old man had taken in a street urchin. It had totally ticked them off when she had been name in his will, too. With conditions of course. But she hadn't minded them. She had no interest in his money. She fulfilled those conditions out of respect, though, for the man that saw her as being worth something more than street litter. So through her, Ben had gotten in one last jab at his spoiled kids. They never forgave Ben, or her, for his parting shot at them. But that was their problem, not hers.

"I didn't hear you come in. How was work?" Bo came in and unthinkingly he gave the customary greeting that he usually gave Daisy. A kiss to the forehead. This time though, unlike this morning, Kira didn't shy away from his touch.

"I just got in, and work was actually a little boring with most everyone already gone for the holiday."

"I didn't know you played the keyboard. That piece have any lyrics to go with it? I like it." Bo fished around the fridge to pull out the milk and got a couple of glasses out as Kira put the sandwiches on the table. "You should try your hand at song writing, I think you'd be good at it."

"No there ain't no lyrics. It's a piece that just sort of played itself. As far as knowing how to play, I sort of taught myself to play by ear. I just like to mess around with it some, is all. It's nothing really."

"Do me a favor; bring your keyboard when we go to Hazzard. We'll play together. You on the keyboard, me and Luke can join you with our guitars. It'll be fun."

"I don't know..."

"Come on, please."

Okay, she was definitely going to have to find some sort of defense against those big blue eyes and puppy dog face. Kira got the feeling that THAT look tended to work for him a lot. Just like it was going to now.

"Oh, alright. But I ain't promising to actually play it."

Bo grinned his assent. He knew he'd won half the battle. He'd win the other half later.

During lunch, the two talked about everything and anything. From Kira's clients to Bo's shopping trip, from which it was obvious that he had enjoyed the fact that even in rumpled, dirty old clothes, he had still been able to get a color show out of the cashier. Kira teased Bo about how one day, someone was going to tame the playboy he'd become. If someone had peaked in, no one would have ever guessed that the siblings HADN'T spent their entire lives together.

As the day wore on, Bo convinced Kira to play the keyboard. She played Jonny Cash's Boy Named Sue to which Bo sang along. By the end though they had started laughing so hard that they couldn't finish the song. Afterwards, Bo wheedled Kira into singing a song herself. After a moment of thinking, Kira played and sang Patsy Cline's Crazy with perfect pitch.

Bo tried, unsuccessfully, to convince her that she had sang it great. Despite her lack of confidence, though, Kira sang a few more songs with Bo as she allowed herself to enjoy the afternoon with her brother. Both were all too aware that Wednesday was fast approaching. With its arrival, Bo would be returning to Hazzard and the opportunities to spend time together may be few and far between.


	5. Welcome home, baby

**Chapter 5: Welcome home, baby**

* * *

The next morning, Bo woke up first. Looking at the clock, he saw it was time for chores; chores that he wasn't home to help Luke do for the third morning in a row. He had never been away from home so long, alone at least. Anytime he had been away, it had always been along-side Luke. Bo had to admit, he was homesick.

In the living-room, Bo watched Kira sleeping on the couch, thinking about everything that had happened the last several days. How could he tell her he was homesick? They had a life-time of catching up to do and here he wanted to cut it short. He could wait until tomorrow. He just wasn't sure he wanted to. He wasn't meant to be cooped up in an apartment all day.

Still thinking, Bo went to the kitchen to look for some breakfast. He was washing his bowl when Kira walked into the kitchen.

"Mornin', Darlin. Rise an-"

"Say it and choke on it." Kira grabbed the cereal and headed to the fridge as Bo tried his best NOT to laugh. "How long you have been awake? By the way you're actin', I'd say a while." Kira poured herself some milk and set to eating her cereal.

"About an hour."

Kira gave Bo a look and shook her head. There is no reason to be up so early in the morning in her opinion. Of course, she never grew up on a farm. She may feel differently if she had been.

"Got up for chores, huh? Only to realize there were no chores."

Bo looked down; not wanting to look at Kira, afraid what his face might give away. Kira softened as she saw him like that.

"It's alright Bo. I know you miss your home. In fact, if you want, I can drive you back after lunch."

Bo was about to tell her that she didn't have to, but stopped. He knew that he couldn't honestly say he didn't want to go home.

"I can have ya' home in time for evenin' chores." Kira grinned as she thought that maybe, just maybe, he'd be doing them alone if Luke decides to get back at him for missing three days worth of work.

"I'll go pack. Things'll be slow today again. If you want, you can hang out at the office instead of being bored sitting around here. That way we can leave straight from there and get you home faster."

Kira left her half eaten cereal on the table to go pack. It was too early to eat anyway.

* * *

"Who's the stud in your office? Don't tell me that you're dating him." Tanya, the legal aide who had gone through every man in the building, practically was drooling at the prospect of a new man to place her attentions.

"I'm not, he's my brother and he's off limits, so back off."

Kira was beginning to rethink the idea of having brought Bo to work. Not thinking it had been a good idea at all. Oh sure, he was certainly enjoying the attention that he was getting from the single women, along with some of the married ones too. But when it came to women like Tanya, Bo was out of his league. She'd eat him alive.

"I wonder if all they say about country boys is true." Tanya was already heading back towards Kira's office when she grabbed a hold of Tanya's arm and spun her around.

"You're not going to find out. You're going to be busy all morning with the work I gave you to do. And you're staying away from my brother if you know what's good for you."

"That almost sounds like a threat." Tanya tried to size Kira up. Obviously, she was stronger than she looked, judging by the grip she had on her arm.

"You bet your boots it is." Kira stared down the aide, not about to let her get her hooks into Bo for one minute. "Find a new hunting ground, Tanya. Just make sure it ain't my family." Kira let go and turned back to her office. Maybe she could rush through her paperwork and be done before Tanya returned to the office.

* * *

The drive back to Hazzard passed too quickly for both Kira and Bo. Despite wanting to go home, he wasn't looking forward to the lectures about running off and worrying the whole family that each member was bound to issue him the moment he arrived. The one good thing, though, no one spotted him as he re-entered the Tri-County area. Of course with the tinted windows, they could have driven right by Rosco unnoticed.

Bo couldn't miss the fact that neither he nor Kira had really spoken, once they hit the county line. Not except Bo giving the directions to take them to the farmhouse. Finally the farm was within sight. Bo was almost home. He only hoped Kira would one day feel the same affection for the old farm and those that lived there as he did.

* * *

"What do ya want Boss? Ya done seen that Bo still ain't here. You just can't wait to lock a Duke up can you? Well it looks like you'll just have to wait. Cause even IF I knew where Bo's at, I wouldn't tell the likes of you!"

Luke had lost all patience with Boss Hogg. He had come out several times a day since Sunday. With Thanksgiving just two days away, he had too much to do to be wasting time with the over-anxious commissioner. There was still only a little over an hour left of daylight and Luke didn't intend to use it dealing with Boss.

"You don't really think I'd take the word of a Duke and believe that your no good cousin still ain't showed up yet, now do you?" Boss went on puffing his on one of those blasted cigars that he seems so fond of.

One of these days, Luke would love to shove one of those things right down Boss's gullet. After going for so many days with little to no sleep, Luke's fuse was significantly shorter than usual. He was so tempted to blow up at Boss like Bo might have if he'd been there. Of course if he had been, Boss would order Rosco to _cuff 'em and stuff 'em_.

Rosco had yet to return to his typically annoying self in Bo's absence. Luke guessed harassing the Dukes had lost its fun for Rosco while Bo was missing. Unfortunately, his sudden case of conscience hadn't rubbed off on Boss.

"I don't rightly care what you believe Boss. I ain't got time for this. Look around if you must, but don't get in the way."

With that, Luke went back to helping Coy and Vance with tables that they were setting up in the farmyard for the feast that was scheduled in a couple of days. Boss didn't let Luke's show faze him. He just KNEW Bo was on the farm somewhere. And when he found him, he would finally have one less Duke to worry about. So he proceeded to look around inside the old farm house, despite the protests coming from Jesse Duke.

Just before Hogg was about to leave, Vance noticed a dark green pick-up pulling up the drive. "Hey, Luke. They friends of yours?"

Luke looked up and saw the truck, too. He tried to see who was inside but the windows had been tinted, making it impossible to see inside the cab.

"Nope, never seen em before."

Luke started to walk in the direction of the truck as the passenger's door opened. It was only when he saw the distinctive blond hair did Luke break out into a run towards the vehicle.

* * *

Bo took a deep breath to steady himself before opening the door. Not really sure if coming home a day early was a good idea after all. Looking in the drive, he saw that Coy and Vance's yellow car was parked alongside The General, but he also saw Boss's white Cadillac.

As Bo stepped out of the truck, he saw Luke running his way. He had to admit, he'd missed Luke something fierce. Luke engulfed Bo in a huge hug just as Rosco's patrol car pulled in and Boss came out of the farm house.

"Your timing is impeccable as usual, Cuz." Luke said knowing that Bo had finally come home only to be arrested.

"Luke, I-"

"Ha! There he is! Rosco, get him! Arrest to him! Arrest Bo Duke!" Boss couldn't believe his eyes as he walked out of the farmhouse only to find the prodigal Duke finally skulking back home.

"What?" Bo pulled back from Luke and swung around to face Hogg. "You ain't got no cause to arrest me. I ain't done nothing!"

"Oh, but I DO. You broke your probation and went to Atlanta without permission."

Bo stood there opened mouth at hearing that. How'd J.D. know where he was at?

"The phone call, Bo. Boss traced it." Luke told Bo seeing his confusion.

"Alright, Rosco, do your duty. Looks like I'll have one more thing to be _thankful _for this Thanksgiving. He-He!"

As Rosco stepped forward to take Bo into custody, the family, (Coy, Vance, Daisy, and Jesse) all seemed to come out from wherever they had been working and looked on knowing that for once there was nothing they could do to help their kin.

"I'm sorry about this, Bo, but I got ta take ya in."

"That won't be necessary, Sheriff." Kira stepped out of the truck as she spoke. Okay, dealing with family maybe uncharted territory for her, but dealing with the likes of Hogg? She did that nearly on a daily basis. "Seeing as no violation has been made."

Luke looked back at the woman that brought Bo home as she drew everyone's attention away from Bo and towards herself. She walked past the two cousins and gave Bo a squeeze on his shoulder before continuing her march toward Rosco while keeping her gaze, through dark glasses that resembled Sheriff Little's, on Boss. In her hand was a legal size, manila envelope.

"What do you mean no violation has been made? Bo Duke ain't to leave Hazzard without the expressed permission of his probation officer, namely ME. And I ain't given no permission. So little lady, you just step aside so Rosco can arrest em."

Kira couldn't help it. She was going to enjoy this immensely. She didn't bother hiding her smirk but modulated her voice to match that of the same tone that she would often use while cross-examining a witness that had just revealed their hand and gave her what she needed.

"Actually, Bo needs expressed permission of his probation officer, namely you, OR an authorized officer of the court. Which he did." Handing the envelope to Rosco, Kira continued. "This is a signed, sealed document from Judge Brian Barclay in Atlanta giving Bo a week long pass to visit Atlanta due to exigent circumstances. So you see no violation has been made. Therefore, no arrest is in order."

With hearing this, Boss got over to Rosco as fast as he could waddle and grabbed the envelope away from Rosco and began to read over the document that Kira had furnished.

"This is obviously a forgery. Dukes will do anything to keep their kin outta jail." Boss made a move to rip the paper as he spoke.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. Judge Barclay tends to get his feathers ruffled when anyone disrespects the office of his robes. He has jailed better men than you for far less when it comes to contempt of his court. Of course, if you'd prefer to spend the holiday in lock up, by all means, go ahead. Besides, that there is only a copy. The original is on file back in Atlanta."

Bo couldn't help it, he nearly laughed out loud as he saw the expression on Boss's face. He was as surprised as Boss to learn about the document, but he was sure glad Kira had it. Bo looked at Luke's face of confusion and smiled. Well no time like the present. Bo left Luke's side and walked towards Kira.

"Just who do you think you are coming to my county like this-"

"Who am I," Kira smirked, leaned into Boss and lowered her voice so only he could hear. "I am your worst nightmare. A Duke with a Law Degree."

"Dat-Dat! What?"

Throwing his arm across Kira's shoulder, a silent thanks passed between them as Bo smiled so brightly that it rivaled an August sunrise. "Boss, I'd like to introduce you to someone very special. Kira Duke! My sister."

Everyone in the farmyard stood stock still as they took in what Bo had just said. Rosco and Jesse seemed to come out of their trances first at about the same time. Since Rosco was closest to Kira, he beat the patriarch to Kira. Rosco pushed pass Boss and he made a grab for Kira's hand and began to pump it up and down as if he was trying to get water from a well.

"I don't think I've been so glad to see a Duke in all my born days!"

"Rosco you do-do brain, what do you think you're doin'?"

Jesse pushed Rosco aside as he tried to get a better look at the woman who just might be his long lost niece. Kira removed her sunglasses as Jesse stood before her. He seemed to look so hard that Kira barely kept herself from squirming out from under his gaze.

Bo tightened his grip on her shoulders as he silently said to her,_ 'It's alright'_.

After a moment, Jesse reached forward to pull Kira in to a hug while softly saying, "Welcome home, baby."


	6. Petrified

**Chapter 6: Petrified**

* * *

Kira stood there not really sure what to do._ 'Guess I'll have to get used to a lot of hugging from now on, huh?'_

Kira had to break the mood somehow. She didn't want to offend Jesse by pulling away, so she did the only thing she could. She mentally reached out to Bo to distract herself. Bo, taking the hint, readily jumped in to help her.

_'At least for a couple of days.' _

"Uh, Uncle Jesse? Um..." How could he let his uncle know Kira really NEEDED him to let go. Sensing her anxiety level rising, Bo places his hand on Jesse's arm causing him to look up at his blond nephew. Emotion still running high, he pulled the young man towards him, allowing Kira to slip out of the old man's grasp.

_'Thanks.' _

True, she had been more patient with Bo's emotional outburst a few days earlier, but she's always known Bo. Jesse is a stranger to her, blood or not. Plus, she'd not been faced with the knowledge of knowing that she could expect many more displays like this in the coming days.

"Come on, Boss. Ain't no reason for us to stay." Rosco would love to stay for the reunion, but he understood that this was a private family moment. He led Boss towards his car as he gave Luke a heartfelt smile (something he rarely did to the Dukes) as he passed by him.

Jesse started to pull away from Bo as he lightly smacked him upside the head. "I ought to tan your hide for making me worry so much about you!"

"I'm sorry Uncle Jesse. I didn't mean to worry you none. I just-"

Kira put her glasses back on to hide her amusement as it appeared that Bo wouldn't be granted a reprieve from Jesse's annoyance over running off to Atlanta.

"Well let's get inside. You're just in time for supper. Go get cleaned up."

"Yes sir." Bo answered automatically while walking toward the house. Kira, not quite ready to face the others and wanting to head off anymore emotional outburst, quickly followed right behind him.

_'Oh no you don't. You're not leaving me alone with them just yet.'_

_'Scared?'_ Bo teased her, trying to lift her mood but missing the mark.

_'Petrified.'_

Jesse watched the twins walk in together slightly confused. When she faced Boss, she'd seemed so confident. Now it was like that bold woman who had stood there smirking at Boss had been replaced by a scared child. He wondered just what kind of life would make Kira scared of her own family; because she was. He had seen it in her eyes just before she'd put those danged glasses back on. That must have been the reason behind them.

"Well, let's go on in too."

"Uncle Jesse?" Luke walked up, not sure if he really believed that Bo could mysteriously find his twin so quickly after just learning about her. Luke was suspicious and didn't want to see Bo hurt if she turned out to be a fraud. "Do you really think that she's Kira, OUR Kira?" The others had gathered around, letting Luke ask the same questions that they wanted to know the answers to. "How can we know for sure she is who she says she is?"

"Luke. She is Kira. She looks just like her momma. Plus, remember the bond that they have, it's the same as the one that yours and Bo's daddies had. Bo says she's Kira, then there ain't no doubt."

Back in the hall, Bo waited for Kira to finish cleaning up before heading in to the main room.

"Kira, you going to be alright?" Bo asked as she stepped out of the bathroom.

Kira looked up to answer. She almost bluffed her way out but remembered the one rule that Bo said that Jesse had always enforce. Dukes don't lie to other Dukes. Well, if she's a Duke, she'd better answer honestly or not at all.

"Ask me later." There, a safe answer.

Bo gave here a smile as he led the way to the kitchen. The leaf had been added to the table and chairs were added to accommodate the seven Dukes. Coy was about to sit in the chair next to his, Vance was already sitting opposite of the chair that Coy was heading for. That only left the seat between Daisy and Vance for Kira. Bo caught Coy's eye and barely shook his head mouthing the word please.

Coy seemed to understand and took the other seat instead. The blessing was said and the Dukes all began to start their supper of pintos and sweet cornbread. No one seemed to want to be the first to break the silence. Not sure where to begin.

Finally, Bo took the lead. "Okay, I have to know, when did you get that paper signed? I know it wasn't today because I was with you at the office."

Kira looked up with a slight grin on her face. "Yesterday. Aren't 'cha glad I didn't trust you when ya said you'd be in the clear as long as you weren't caught crossing the line?"

"A word of warning, never trust Bo unless he's behind the wheel of something on four tires." Luke piped in.

Kira laughed as Bo tried his best to look offended, then gave up and laughed along, too. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Just how is it that you were able to get that there paper for Bo?" Daisy asked while reaching for another piece of cornbread.

"I just asked Judge Barclay a favor. He owed me. It's a good thing that I haven't been in the habit of calling in those favors a lot. It made it a bit easier to get him to agree."

"Just what do you do in Atlanta that would make a Judge owe _you_ a favor?" Coy had to hear this one.

"I've been helping his daughter through a rough patch, is all. You could say she learned the hard way what can happen to a runaway in the city. We clicked, so I've been like a big sister to her to help her out."

"Now that still didn't exactly answer Coy's question. What do you do in Atlanta?" Jesse wanted to steer the conversation to how Bo and Kira met up after so long, but he'll let the kids run it for right now.

"I, uh… I'm a public defender." Kira heard a spoon clatter in a bowl. Not sure who dropped it since no one was eating anymore. No one but Bo that is.

"As in a lawyer?" Luke tried to remember if he had ever heard of a Duke lawyer. Nope. Guess there's always a first. Then a thought hit him causing him to burst out laughing. "A lawyer whose brother is on probation for running moonshine. I bet that'll go over well with your co-workers."

That broke the ice as the others joined in with the laughter and then began to ask Kira various questions about how she had became a lawyer. Kira explained, vaguely (she's a lawyer after all), of going to law school as a condition of the will left by Ben Kyle. She also explained that she had become a PD instead of accepting the junior partnership at Ben's old firm when Tom and Michelle had offered it. She had wanted to prove that she could do her job without anyone's help. Her tuition may have been a gift, but she had busted her hide to earn her diploma.

Pride. The only thing that she had held onto all her life had kept her from taking the easier path. Duke Pride, Jesse acknowledge silently. It appeared she had her share. As he saw Kira talk about her time in Atlanta, he once again saw the confident young woman who had stared down J.D. earlier.

"For twins, you and Bo sure ain't much alike." Daisy looked at her cousins trying to find any similarities. "I'm tryin' to picture it if Bo had gone off to LawSchool. And I can't." Daisy grinned at his pout. "Bo wasn't much for book learnin'."

"Nothing alike, huh?" Kira raised an eyebrow to that. "I can out argue anyone south of the Mason-Dixon, I can out-drive, out-fight, out-race nearly anyone I've come across. I'm spiteful to a fault. Telling me I can't do something is a sure-fire way of getting me to do it just to prove ya wrong..." Kira took a breath when Bo laughed as he got seconds of his beans. "How am I doing? Sound like anyone else you know?"

"We'll have to race tomorrow to see whose better between the two of us."

"You're on, Bo."

"You race?" Luke had a hard time combining the image of the Lady Lawyer who just happened to be his cousin with a racing fiend. They just wouldn't merge. The way she'd just described herself did sound just like Bo. Of course when Bo argues, it usually involves fists, not words.

"That's my racer on the back of the truck. I race Motor-Cross. I've done some stunt riding back in college, too."

"Okay, I take it back. The two of you are so much alike it's scary." Daisy laughed. "Those high-falutin folks at your college must have loved that."

"Why do you think I did it?" Kira grinned at Daisy. "I told you I'm spiteful."

The rest of the dinner, to Kira's relief, revolved around the various races that the Dukes had entered. It was agreed that they would have a race the next day. The two race cars with the four fellas against Kira and her motorcycle. After supper, Bo and Luke got up and headed out for evening chores. Jesse went out with them, intent on asking the questions that had gone unasked at dinner.

While the three were out under the pretense of chores the other three Dukes, plus the new addition, went into the living room to sit. Kira felt her discomfort return as she was left alone with the three cousins that she had never met before.

Vance was the first to break the silence by asking the obvious question. How did she and Bo meet up after having so long being separated? She wasn't sure where to begin until Daisy assured her that Jesse had told them about hers and Bo's dad being Luke's dad's twin; that they had the same kind of bond as she and Bo.

That helped; knowing that while their link was unusual, it appeared to run in the family.

Daisy also said that they all knew her as Bo's imaginary friend when they were younger. So, Kira proceeded to go over the events of Saturday as she remembered them, while Bo was out in the barn doing the same for Uncle Jesse and Luke. After the stories were told, silence once again fell over the Duke clan. The men returned from the barn and Bo was glad that he seemed to get off fairly light when it came to the lectures he'd been expecting.

Inside, he remained in the kitchen a moment. He caught Daisy's eye and signaled her to join him from the door way.

"You need something, sugar?" Daisy reached up to get her hug that she as of yet had gotten from her baby cousin.

"I just wanted to give you this for the festival is all. I didn't get around to giving you one Saturday; what with everything. I want you to use this one." Daisy looked down at the photograph that Bo had handed her, fighting back tears as she saw it. "Please."

"Alright, sugar. I'll go put this some place safe."

After another hug, Daisy slipped off into her room to put the picture away as Bo went into the living room. Kira was sitting on the hearth looking out at the rest of the clan. They all seemed to be telling stories, apparently about him. Walking in, both Luke and Kira seemed to have just finished one story as they looked up at him as he walked in.

"I swear, Bo ain't never grew up, just got taller is all." Luke walked up to throw his arm around Bo. "Not sure he ever will now, either."

Bo pouted a bit. Not sure just how this conversation started.

"Well, maybe SOMEBODY shouldn't have read **Peter Pan** to him. Gave him the idea and all."

"How did you-?" Luke thought back to when Bo was little. He had indeed read **Peter Pan** to him. But how did Kira know?

Kira shrugged her shoulders at his unfinished question. "You said if I wanted to listen then I had better listen when you read it to Bo because you weren't going to read it twice. It's one of my earliest memories... Maybe I shouldn't have brought it up."

Kira felt like kicking herself. She'd been in the house for only a few hours and already making people uncomfortable around her when she was uncomfortable enough for them all.

Bo, seeing the shift in the room, tried to ease the tension by suggesting that Luke and he grab their guitars and play a while. They played some of their favorite songs, including _Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be Cowboys_. Of course they changed cowboys to Duke Boys which Kira found just a bit too funny.

_'I know you're scheming, Bo. I'm not getting my keyboard out. So go ahead and get the idea out of your head.'_

Bo tried to give her his best, _I'm innocent look_, even though he was about to suggest just that. Well, maybe tomorrow, he thought.

Meanwhile, Jesse watched the two interact. He'd had years of practice watching his brothers communicate without saying a word to know the signs. At least despite the years of separation, and whatever havoc that had surrounded Kira's life, it hadn't been able to keep that bond from becoming as strong as if they really had lived together all their lives. Jesse had forgotten just how annoying it can be to be left out of the conversation going on barely five feet away from you.

None of the others seemed to catch Kira's frustrated look towards Bo as he faked his innocence at some unsaid accusation. Jesse smiled as he saw the look that he knew meant that Bo wasn't giving up, only waiting for later. He just wished he knew what he wasn't giving up on.


	7. In Good Hands

**Chapter 7: It'll be in good hands**

* * *

Soon, the evening wore into nightfall and Kira and Bo went out to get her suitcase out of the truck. _'Are you sure you're going to be alright bunking in with Daisy? I mean, I saw how you were in there. You didn't seem all too comfortable.'_

_'I'll be fine, Bo. Quit worrying so much. I'm a big girl; I can handle sharing a bed with Daisy.'_

Bo looked at her trying to convince himself that she was right. But he didn't stop worrying.

_ 'Well there really ain't going to be much choice I guess. Especially considering there will be more Dukes than you can shake a stick at coming in tomorrow.'_

Thinking about that made him even more worried about Kira.

_'Stop it Bo. It'll be fine. How about helping me unload the bike while we're out here. And no, I don't want to take the keyboard in right yet.'_

The two set to unloading the truck while Jesse watched from inside. As he stood at the window, Luke came up behind him bring a cup of coffee to him while sipping on his own. "They're at it again. You think they even realize that they do that themselves?"

Jesse turned toward Luke as he spoke. "You noticed too, huh?"

"Yep. I remember when Bo would do it when he was younger. Used to annoy the dickens out of me. I wonder what they were talking about earlier. Bo seemed to have gotten the hang of teasing his sister already. It just seems a bit weird to watch em go at it."

"I'd like to tell you that you get used to it, but you won't. I never did. You do learn to ignore it though." Jesse paused and looked at Luke watching his cousins. "Luke, he'll still need you. You know that right? Just because he has Kira back doesn't-"

"I know, Uncle Jesse. You had this same talk with Bo when Judd came back didn't you?" Luke cut his uncle short. Not wanting to admit that he had begun to worry that Bo wouldn't want him around anymore.

Had Bo felt like this when Judd first came to the farm? Probably. They still weren't exactly close. Luke headed on up to the room that he'd shared with Bo for nearly his whole life. Cots had already been set up to give Coy and Vance beds in there as well. There wouldn't be much space left for walking by the time all of the Dukes arrived.

Shortly afterwards, Bo headed up to bed, too. But he was still worrying. After he had gotten up for the third time nearly heading out to check on Kira but then stopping at the door, Luke had had enough.

"Bo, would you lie down and stay down. Watching you is makin' me sea sick."

"I can't help it. What if Kira has a flashback or something? She ain't used to being in close quarters with people she really don't know. I know she said she's fine but-"

"What do you mean about her having flashbacks? What would she have flashbacks about?" Luke knew a thing or two about flashbacks. But what could have possibly of happened to Kira that would cause here to be in danger of having a flashback just staying in with Daisy?

Vance sat up now too. Clearly, there was a lot they still needed to know about Kira. "Why don't you tell us a little more about Kira? Especially since whatever you know has you more nervous that a long-tailed cat in a room full of rockers."

So Bo sat and began to tell some of the stories he knew of Kira's childhood; of the neglect and abuse. Of how she had began to runaway before she was even ten years old. Of how for the next seven years she had spent more nights out on the streets of various cities in Georgia than she had in a house.

By the time Bo had finished, Luke was feeling mighty guilty for the jealous pangs he had felt earlier. It looked like that, like Luke, Kira had hidden battle scars. But unlike Kira, he had been allowed to grow up before heading off to do battle in his war within the jungles of 'Nam. Kira had fought a war from childhood in a number of homes, group homes, and even the streets.

Knowing more about his new cousin, he understood a bit more why Bo worried about Kira so much. He also felt proud of her for the lengths she has taken to change her life. Heck, it was amazing that she'd done all she had. He never knew Duke Pride to have accomplished so much.

Bo explained also that Kira was uncomfortable with a lot of touch. That she had pulled away from him a few times though she tried not to. She was patient with it most of the time, but she might pull away from them, too. Bo didn't want anyone to be offended if she did.

Luke made a mental note to talk to Daisy and Jesse. Finally, the guys all fell asleep, though Bo took a little longer. He got up twice more, but this time Luke didn't stop him. He seemed to remember Bo worried a few years ago about him having flashbacks too. Of course Bo didn't know just what they would entail, Bo always seemed to know just when Luke had revisited the war within his dreams.

Maybe he could help Kira with hers. The VA had helped him with some techniques to ward off some of the flashbacks that plagued him. That was the last thought that crossed Luke's mind as he drifted off.

* * *

_'Go to sleep, Bo.'_

Kira heard the floor boards creak from the guys' room several times before the creaks came all the way to Daisy's door. Daisy had fallen asleep nearly as soon as she had lain down. That left Kira wide awake, clinging to the edge of the bed, listening to the sounds of the house. Kira heard the creaks drift back across the hall then everything once again went quiet.

Laying there, staring out the window, Kira tried to sleep. After remaining there for what seemed like hours, she drifted off into a restless sleep. The sleep was short lived though as Kira bolted up in bed grabbing her arm. Sitting up panting in bed, Kira tried to slow her breathing as she looked down at her arm; the feel of the break still vivid in her mind.

Looking over at Daisy, she saw she was still asleep. Kira got up as quietly as possible and changed into her jeans and a sweater and grabbed her messenger bag she kept her work in. If she wasn't going to sleep she might as well get some work done instead.

Carefully, Kira made her way to the kitchen and sorted through her papers. She had a case going to trial Monday. It was the kind of case that she hated. Her client was completely innocent but the evidence had pointed in their direction anyway. She still had a friend digging for her trying to find one piece of evidence that would place reasonable doubt into the minds of the jury.

Grabbing her pad, she started to go over her notes and started working on her opening argument. So wrapped up in her work, Kira never noticed when Jesse walked in hours later.

"Mornin', you're up early."

Jesse got the pans out to get breakfast started since Daisy would be busy preparing food for the incoming Dukes all day only to go to work at The Boars' Nest later. Jesse and told her not to bother with breakfast today. He'd handle it. Kira looked at her watch and saw it was about a quarter after five. Surprised, she started to put her papers away.

"I guess I am. I better move all this stuff away."

"What 'cha workin' on?" He had yet to really get a chance to talk to his niece. In fact, she seemed to have been avoiding being alone with anyone. So here they were; alone for the first time in the kitchen and she looked like she was ready to bolt.

"Just getting things lined up for a case going to trial Monday; figuring out my opening argument."

Luke walked in and leaned up against the door frame. Looking at her, Luke guessed she hadn't slept an hour all night. Looks like Bo was right to worry about her last night.

"Mornin'. By the way Bo talked last night, I thought the only way we'd get you up this early is with a crucifix and some Holy water." Luke grinned as he remember Bo describing how little of a morning person his sister was. "You sleep alright?"

Kira looked up with a grin on her face, "Fortunately, Daisy had a Bible on the nightstand. Where is that brother of mine anyway?" Kira ignored the question about HOW she had slept.

"Where else? Still in bed. I'm thinking of gettin' a stick of dynamite to put under his pillow if'n he don't get up." Kira finished putting her papers away as she laughed.

"Want to have some fun? Go watch him jump. He has this coming. Trust me." Luke gave her a dubious look, glanced at Uncle Jesse who just shrugged his shoulders. Then Luke went back to the bedroom. Just as he walked back in the room, Kira called out to Bo.

_'BO!'_

That caused Bo to jump off the bed in a jolt and landed on the floor.

_'Rise and Shine, Darlin'!'_

Luke laughed out-loud once he realized what Kira must have done.

_'Time for them chores you missed so much.'_

Bo got up and saw Luke watching him.

"Mornin'." Bo got dressed and pushed passed a still smirking Luke to go to the bathroom.

Kira headed to Daisy's room to put her bag up and passed Bo as he came out of the bathroom.

_'Was that really necessary?' _Bo scowled at her.

_'Would you have preferred the dynamite that Luke was considering instead?'_ Kira laughed as Bo shook his head at her.

He'd missed a lot of sleep last night worrying over her. He guessed this was his thanks. Looking at her, he could tell that this picture of his sister so early in the morning didn't match up with how he'd seen her so far. That meant she hadn't just woken up.

_'Why ain't you gone to bed yet?'_

Kira rolled her eyes,_ 'I did go to bed; I just couldn't sleep is all.'_

Kira left Bo in the hall, hoping he'd drop it. The bad thing about having a psychic link though is that it makes it harder to just walk out on a conversation. So with a door between them, Bo kept talking.

_'Kira, I was worried about this-'_

_'Bo, Luke's waiting on you. GO ON. I done told ya I'm fine.'_

Bo stared at the door separating him and Kira before heading on out to the barn.

* * *

Luke noticed that Bo was more quiet than usual. He wouldn't talk about it but Luke knew that it had to be because Kira hadn't slept last night. He knew that something had to give so he put his mind to the task of coming up with a solution. By the time that the chores were done, Luke thought he had one. So when they went in to wash up for breakfast, Luke headed up stairs and went to the door at the end of the hall upstairs, a door that was rarely used, all to see if he was right.

Meanwhile, Daisy had gotten up and set the table while Kira sat in the main room trying to read out of a novel she had brought with her. Trying being the operative word. So far she has read the same paragraph six times; going on the seventh. Looking up as the boys walk in, Kira noticed Bo wouldn't look at her. Kira wasn't used to anyone worrying about her; especially not enough to get mad to boot.

"Mornin', sugar."

"Hey, Coy." Glancing behind him she saw Vance as well. "Hey, Vance."

"Sugar, I hear we have you ta thank for that show this morning. I bet Bo wishes he'd woke up when Luke told him to now."

"Yep, he still looks out of sorts. Just watchin' him jumpin' off that bed like that this mornin'. I about died laughing." Vance proved his point by chuckling at the memory. "Well, let's get on in to breakfast."

The three went in to join Daisy and Uncle Jesse in the kitchen and sat down as Bo came in and took his own place between Kira and Luke's empty chair.

"Bo, where's Luke? We're all waiting on him so we can start breakfast." Jesse started dishing out some scrambled eggs into the plates on the table as he spoke.

"How should I know? He came in and got cleaned up ahead of me."

Luke came in as Bo spoke. "Sorry, I just had to take care of something." Luke took his seat ignoring Bo's questioning look. Jesse said grace and took his seat at the head of the table and everyone began to eat while discussing the relatives due to arrive through out the day. "That reminds me; we told Lulu that we'd get those chairs from the ladies league by nine. Shouldn't take more than two or three trips to get them."

"Why don't ya'll take my truck, too? That way ya'll can save time. Get em all at once."

"You goin' to trust Bo with your truck?" Luke tried to look around Bo to see Kira but all he could see was a mop of blond hair.

"It's got four tires and a wheel ain't it? It'll be in good hands." Kira laughed along with Luke as they both recalled his light joke the night before.

Bo even grinned as he shoved some eggs in his mouth. At least he hadn't lost all of his sense of humor. Kira hoped that he'd lighten up a bit. She knew her own limits. And if it came down to it, she'll sleep in the truck. She promised Bo she'd stay until Sunday and she wasn't going to let a little thing like a lack of sleep make her break that promise.

By the end of breakfast, the whole Duke clan was laughing and joking about previous Thanksgivings. Kira was content listening to the stories as she continued to watch the others interact. She admitted to herself, she had begun to study them the same way she would have for a test back in school. Because she knew that when all was said and done, becoming part of this family was one test she didn't want to fail.

After breakfast was cleaned up, Luke suggested that Bo and Coy head on out and he and Vance would be right behind them. That earned him some odd looks from the three cousins since he and Bo are almost always together. Leaving the three confused, Luke headed back inside. Left with nothing else to do, Bo and Coy headed over to Kira's dark green pick-up.

Spying the keyboard still in its black case, Bo grabs it to take over to the porch. Kira must have forgotten about it when she offered her truck. She didn't want to take it inside, but she shouldn't say anything about him putting it there to make room for the chairs.

"What's that?" Coy asked as Bo walks around to climb into the truck.

"Kira's keyboard. I reckon she forgot it was still in the truck. Well, let's get goin'."

Inside, Luke found Kira once again trying to read out of her book. Not getting very far, either, by the looks of it. She was still on the same page she was when he finished his chores.

"Kira, ya ain't going to get too far in that book when your brain's done fallen asleep." Holding out his hand, "Come on, trust me."

Kira looked at Luke for a moment before taking his hand allowing him to pull her up off the couch. Not quite sure what he was up to, Kira followed Luke upstairs, assuming that he was just going to tell her to go back to get some sleep in Daisy's room. When they passed her door and ended up at the end of the hall, Kira's curiosity was peaked.

"I figured you'd might like to have a place to hide later on. Once the invasion begins." Luke opened the door that led to a steep set of stairs that Kira guessed went up to the attic. He stepped aside to allow Kira through the door and then followed her up. Once in the attic, Luke led the way over to the window. "It ain't exactly the Ritz, but it should do." Kira saw where Luke had pulled up an old mattress over to the window and had brought her things on up. "This way Bo won't worry for ya so much."

"But why?"

"Bo told me some of what's happened. Seems only right to try to figure out a way to help ya feel more at home, Cuz." Kira couldn't help but smile at Luke's gesture. "That's what this family does. So, you'd better get some sleep. No one will come up here. The adults never do and the kids are too scared so no one will bother you. I'll have Bo wake you for lunch."

Kira had to admit she was exhausted and here Luke had done his best to give her a place to call her own in the chaos that would engulf the farm in a matter of hours. Without thinking, Kira reached out to give Luke a hug. It last only lasted a second and ended before Luke could return it. Remembering what Bo said about Kira not being big on affection, Luke was more than a little surprised, but pleased with the thanks that he'd just received.

"Sweet dreams." With that Luke headed back down to head to town with Vance to meet Bo and Coy.


	8. The Third Degree

**Chapter 8: The Third Degree**

* * *

_'Kira, Kira. Come on, Sis, wake up.'_

Bo walked up to the pallet that Kira was sleeping on, quietly. He really didn't want to wake her up even though it was getting close to lunch.

Several family members have arrived since breakfast and everyone had been told about Bo's finding Kira. Bo (along with Luke) insisted that everyone kind of stay back and give Kira space. Pauline was a mite upset by their insistence. After being missing for so long, her first instinct was to wrap the newly found Duke in a hug so tight that she'd never disappear again.

Finally, Bo convinced the family that the best way to welcome Kira would be to try to treat her as if this wasn't the first time they'd ever seen her. Bo hoped everyone would do their best. At least he had Luke helping. Coy and Vance seemed ready to throw in too. Daisy seemed a bit put off, but tried to understand why Kira had been moved out of her room. Besides, there would be other cousins moving in with her anyway. When he heard what Luke had done for Kira, Bo about kicked himself for not thinking of doing this himself.

_'Kira, lunch is about ready. Kira.'_

Bo reached out to lightly shake her shoulder. Slowly, Kira began to rouse. Looking around, it took her a moment to remember where she was at.

_'What, no revenge for this mornin'?'_

_'Nah, maybe later. For right now, lunch is about ready. Come on. After lunch, we'll have that race with the other fellas. That'll give you an out when you've had too much togetherness.'_

Bo reached down and grabbed Kira up from the make-shift bed. Kira snatched up her hairbrush and ran it through her hair quickly before heading toward the stairs with Bo at her side.

_'In the habit of sleeping in hiking boots?'_

_'Why not?'_

Kira had fallen into bed the moment that Luke had left that morning without bothering trying to get comfortable. Years ago, comfort was a luxury that she rarely afforded herself. Even now, she sometimes forgot that she didn't have to worry about being ready to move in a moment's notice.

_'Any advice for the rookie before we go out there?'_

If facing only five strangers last night had been difficult, she expected today to be about as pleasant as getting a cavity filled, without Novocain.

_'Just be yourself. They might as well get to know the real you right off. Just holler if you need me to bail you out. Luke, Vance, and Coy will be running interference, too. Daisy'll be leaving shortly after lunch for work.'_

With that, they reached the bottom of the stairs from the attic and headed out to the rest of the house. Lunch was being set up outside at the tables and chairs that had been brought out for the next day. Luke had already staked out the end of one table. Bo and Kira bypassed the relatives and sat with him, Kira sitting on the end with Bo beside her. Luke and Vance were sitting opposite of them.

Coy was talking to Pauline as he noticed Bo and Kira joining his cousins. Leaving her, he went to sit beside Vance. The rest of the family notice that the guys seemed to of taken up their stations as if they had assigned themselves as her personal guards; intent on keeping the rest of the family from crowding Bo's twin.

Kira wanted to hold onto her pride; to tell the guys to back off. That she could handle herself just fine. But truth be told, she was thrilled that her brother and cousins decided to act as go betweens for her. Already, she felt more relaxed with Luke, and Coy seemed to have charm that could put anyone at ease. Vance's quiet demeanor was also a bit soothing. The four men all seemed to complement one another.

Various relatives came up to Kira to ask her everything from where she grew up (questions she avoided with the help of Bo) to what she did for a living (which earned her strange looks). Pauline joined the table and insisted that Luke swap seats with her, which he couldn't refuse no matter how much he tried.

Pauline set herself to learning everything she could about Kira. She even tried to pry information about Kira's love life (much to the discomfort of everyone at that end of the table). Of course, since Bo had told her to be herself, she told Pauline that under no uncertain terms was that any of her business. That caused all the guys to snicker since they had all been the subject of Pauline's meddling at one time or another, but their raising had prevented them from bucking her attentions the way they had always wanted to. To watch Kira do it though was like a small victory for them all.

Pauline didn't find Kira's attitude all that funny. In fact, she narrowed her eyes at Kira. Bo waited to see who would back down first. Kira, however, seemed to be thriving on her own annoyance with Pauline. Kira saw her eyes narrowed, and pointedly ignored her and kept eating her sandwich. Everyone seemed to have gone quiet at the tables.

Jesse hadn't heard what was said but he did see his sister-in-law's look that she was giving Kira. He didn't like what he saw. Of course his nephews all seemed to have found amusement in whatever had been said. Not sure if he should intervene or not; Jesse continued to watch from a table over.

Once again, Kira seemed to of found her confidence while facing a perceived threat but this time that threat was his sister-in-law. By the end of lunch, Pauline seemed thoroughly annoyed with their long-lost niece. Kira, however, looked more relaxed while she joked with the guys as if she had known them all her life.

As lunch was cleared, Luke returned to the others as they seemed to gravitate toward the race-cars. From what Jesse could tell, the guys were explaining various modifications that they had made to their cars.

While Kira was listening to the fellas talk about their cars, she couldn't help but notice that Jesse had hardly taken his eyes off her since she had come down for lunch. Glancing at Pauline as she went over to speak with her brother-in-law, Kira figured that she was probably the reason. It hadn't been personal, she just did not intend to start letting anyone think that they had a right to go poking around in her private life. Family or not.

As she and the guys all went over their racers, other cousins, aunts, and uncles would come over to add to the conversation from time to time. After a while, Kira slipped away as everyone became lost in conversation.

Kira headed over to the barn just out of sight to get a breather. That's where she was when Coy saw her. He had seen Kira's get away and followed to make sure she was okay.

"How ya doing, sugar?" Coy slid up beside her where she was sitting on the fence railing.

"Okay, I guess. I keep forgetting everyone's names though. I don't think I'll be able to remember them all."

"You don't have to. Just call everyone sugar or darlin' and you'll blend right in and no one'll be the wiser."

Kira laughed as thought about the fact that everyone did seem to call out or respond to those names of affection.

"Oh, so that's your secret. No wonder you haven't called me by my name yet."

Kira and Coy laughed as they discussed various ins and outs of Duke Life. Soon, Kira was once again ready to go back to the farmyard. Coy suggested that she go on in and get her helmet and riding jacket so they could all have their race. He went to tell the others that they were about ready as Kira went inside to get her things.

Of course that was no simple matter since the house was teaming with unknown relatives. Kira kept fending off various questions from curious family members as she made her way to the stairs. She met Pauline on the stairs and couldn't help the feeling of trepidation that rose in her as she passed her. She didn't really dislike her, she was, however, terrified of her; for reasons that she couldn't really explain. Finally, Kira was back up in the attic where her things had earlier been brought up by Luke. Grabbing her helmet and throwing on her jacket, Kira braced herself before heading back down into the rest of the house.

"Uncle Jesse, we're gonna go ahead and have our race now. We'll probably race to town and back." Bo went over to tell his uncle so he wouldn't be mad after being left to entertain a house full of relatives alone since Daisy had already left for work.

"You mind telling me what that business was all about at lunch." Jesse tried asking Pauline but she just headed off to watch her youngens instead of answering him.

"Aunt Pauline was giving Kira the third degree; askin' a bunch of questions. Once she started getting a bit too personal, Kira had enough. Told her that her love life was none of Aunt Pauline's business. Right frankly, there were some questions I'm glad she didn't answer. I wasn't even all that comfortable and she wasn't talkin' to me."

Bo knew that Jesse was stuck wanting to defend his brother's wife and Kira at the same time. In the end, Jesse just nodded his head as he accepted the explanation.

"Just don't stay gone too long. I don't trust them motorbikes and your sister don't know the lay of the land yet. Don't let her race that thing once it starts gettin' dark."

"I won't Uncle Jesse." With that Bo ran back over to the cars where everyone else was waiting for him.

* * *

_'Well are you plannin' on racing or are you out for a Sunday drive, Bro?'_

Kira had taken her bike off road, relying on her memory of some of Bo's old stories to help her navigate toward the Boar's Nest. Kira knew that the guys hadn't really taken her racing all too serious. They were out here to entertain her, not race her. Well, she best better show them that they shouldn't have underestimated her.

_'Funny, Kira. Just didn't want to embarrass ya too bad your first time out is all.'_

Bo and Coy were both neck and still five miles out from the Boar's Nest. It wasn't until Kira started teasing him that Bo realized that he hadn't seen Kira in several miles.

_'Where're you at anyway?'_

_'You just worry about the road in front of you. I'll see ya at the Nest.'_

Kira laughed before she closed her link with Bo. Pulling the bike in behind the Bar, Kira walked around and headed on in to wait for the guys. Seeing Daisy behind the bar, Kira went up to take a stool until the others showed up.

"Hey, Daisy. Wow, who would've thought that this place would be so busy on a Wednesday?"

"Hey, sugar, I think nearly everyone in Hazzard decided to come here to hide from their relatives. What are you doin' here anyway, Kira?" Daisy walked around heading over to a table that needed to be cleared and Kira walked with her as she talked.

"I thought I was supposed to be racing the fellas here, but they all went soft. I'll bet they're still a couple miles out yet. How about bringing them some beers over when they get here?" Kira took the opportunity to claim the table that Daisy had just cleaned before anyone else could.

"No problem, you want anything?"

"After dealing with Pauline during lunch, you'd better bring me a Scotch. Is she always like that?"

"You'll get used to it. I'll be right back."

Outside, the two race-cars pulled up and the guys all got out to wait for Kira to show up. "Well, Bo, where'd you think she is?"

"I don't know, Luke. She should be here by now and she ain't answering me."

"Maybe racing here wasn't such a good idea after all. And here ya'll were going easy on her, too." Luke eyed the parking lot as he looked for his cousin's bike.

"Hey, Boys! Bo! I hadn't heard you was back in town," came the sound of the town mechanic's voice.

"Cooter, yea, I got back yesterday. Sorry I ain't talked to you yet. Been kind of busy."

"Cooter, have we got a story to tell you. We'll tell ya inside. Just as soon as Kira and that motorcycle of hers gets here," Luke said with a grin.

"The only motorcycle I've seen is the one parked around back. A real slick racing bike. So who's this Kira? Another relative of ya'lls?" All four guys chuckled at Cooter's question.

"You could say that, Coot. Come on inside and we'll buy ya a beer while we explain it to you," Bo smirked.

Coy nudged Vance, "How'd you think she beat us here? I never saw her pass us."

"Me neither, but you and Bo weren't exactly drivin' your best. Looks like she's better than ya'll figured."

Once inside, the men saw that Kira had claimed a table so the guys pulled up their chairs and joined her.

"It's about time you boys showed up. Do me a favor, next time we race, try to remember that little pedal to the right of the brake, that's what you use to make the car go. Think you can do that?" Everyone laughed as she teased the guys.

"Oh, spunky. Ain't she?" Cooter hadn't heard anyone tease Bo and Luke about driving in a while, and certainly not a woman at that. Daisy brought over the beers and another Scotch for Kira.

"Kira, I'd like to introduce ya to our best friend in Hazzard, Cooter Davenport. Cooter, I'd like ya to meet Kira. My sister." The Dukes all watched Cooter as he took in what Bo just told him.

"But I thought...But they said...But how...? Ha! Well I'll be! Pleased to meet ya Kira!" Cooter reached across the table to shake her hand. "Hey wait a minute, Buddy Rue. How come you're here? Boss'll lock you up the moment he's sees you!"

"Calm down, Coot. And listen." Bo started to tell Cooter of everything that had happened since he had called Sunday, leading to Kira getting permission to be out of the county for Bo; which left Cooter a bit confused since he didn't exactly explain how he had found Kira Saturday. Of course that detail was forgotten once it was explained that Kira was a lawyer from Atlanta.

"Say what?"

All the other guys at the table smirked as they remembered last night's revelation and how they had reacted to that knowledge themselves.

Seeing Cooter dumbfounded, Luke piped in. "Well, we always knew Bo was always just window dressin'. Now we know where all his smarts went." That earned him a half-hearted hard look.

_'I seem to remember even you joking about you being, _**_Just Pretty_**_ in the past. Guess that makes me the smart one then huh? You better hope your looks don't ever fade.'_

Kira grinned as Bo made ready to make a come back as Daisy came back to the table to check on them. Cooter seemed to still be trying to take in Bo's story though.

"Daisy, be straight up with me. Are they shuckin' and jivin' me? Is this here really Bo's sister?"

"You bet, honey. And you should've seen Boss when he learned he had another Duke in Hazzard. I'll bet he needed a tranquilizer by the time he got home."

That started yet another round of laughing and joking as everyone started to share their favorite Boss Hogg story. After a while Kira excused herself and headed away from the table.

_'Where ya goin'?'_

_'Somewhere you fellas can't follow if ya don't mind.'_

Catching the drift, Bo went back to talking with his friend and his cousins. He ended up telling everyone that the reason he had cut his call so short on Sunday was because he and Kira had gone to the football game while everyone in Hazzard was looking for him. That was a confession he instantly wished he could unmake.

Stepping out of the ladies room, Kira was stopped by a man that could've been attractive, if he hadn't oozed the stench of being a total jerk.

"I haven't seen you around here before. How'd you like to dump those loser Duke Boys and dance with a real man?"

"You plannin' on pointing me in the right direction? 'Cause it certainly ain't right in front of me."

Kira went to move past him to head back to the table when the man grabbed her arm to stop her. Kira balled up her right fist and it connected squarely on the man's left jaw. He let go of Kira as he stumbled backwards a step and looked up only to see a thick-soled hiking boot come from his right and send him into the wall behind him. Kira's family instantly started to make their way over and saw Ernie Leadbetter crumpled on the floor.

"Kira, Ernie causing you any problems?" Anyone in Hazzard knew that Luke and Ernie'd had a feud going on between them since they were nothing but kids.

"Nope, no problem. He just wanted to dance but didn't know the steps, is all." Kira pushed pass the guys, ignoring the looks that each of them gave her as she crouched down beside Ernie. Leaning in, Kira looked Ernie dead on as she said, "You ever touch me again, you won't have to worry about these guys behind me. 'Cause by the time I'm done, the only thing left for them to do will be for them to be your pallbearers."

With that, Kira got up and went back to the table. Luke and Vance grabbed Ernie up and started dragging him outside to _talk_ as the others joined Kira. They all sat in an awkward silence as they sipped their drinks. Cooter was the first to break the silence.

"That was one mean right hook. Where'd ya learn that?"

"Some things you don't learn, you just do it I guess." Kira had started to unconsciously rub her arm where she could feel a bruise forming. One bad thing about being so light-skinned, she always seemed to bruise so easily.

"Maybe if you're a Duke, I guess." He looked over at Bo as he watched Kira rubbing her arm.

Bo scowled as he watched. He should have gone outside instead of Luke. Next time he saw Ernie, he'd-

_'Bo, stop would ya? I'm fine. This ain't the first time I've run across a jerk. And I ain't ever needed to have someone take care of them for me.'_

Bo met Kira's eyes and saw that, at least in her own mind, she was capable of handling herself with guys like Ernie.

"I think it's time we headed back to the farm." Bo stood up, "We promised Jesse that we wouldn't be long."

Waiting just long enough for Coy and Kira to stand, Bo headed on over to the door. Coy shrugged his shoulders at Kira as he helped her get her jacket and they followed the tallest Duke on out.

* * *

Kira was tearing the road up on the way back to the farm. Everyone had tried to talk her into riding back in The General and let Luke ride her bike back to the farm. As if just because some jerk made a pass at her would somehow make it unsafe for her to ride back on her own. Instead, she got on the motorcycle and left them where they were standing. Still discussing her like she was a child. Now the two cars were trying to catch up to her. Well she had wanted a race. She just didn't plan on it being like this.

_'Dang it Kira, would ya slow down! The bridge is out up ahead. You need to turn around and head the other way instead.'_

In response to Bo, Kira only sped up even further, seeing where the bridge once was up ahead. Behind her, the cars tried to catch up to get around her, but Kira was more than just motivated to stay in front now. It was a matter of pride. Pushing the bike as fast as she could, Kira hit the ramp and felt the instant feeling of flying as she left the ground. Behind her the cars had skidded to a stop while the four occupants stared helplessly waiting to see if she made the jump or not.

* * *

Jesse stood on the porch waiting on the kids to get back. It was nearly time for supper. His sister-in-law and some of the other women had taken over the kitchen so there wasn't anything else for him to do. He'd already played three games of checkers with his brother. Now, if those dang fool kids would just get home. He had a feeling that something had happened. His toe didn't hurt; it was just a gut feeling. So the boys weren't in any real trouble, just enough to give him indigestion.


	9. The Jump

**Chapter 9: The Jump**

* * *

Bo and Luke stared out the windshield as Kira landed on the other side of the Stix and took off, continuing her ride back to the farm. Bo released the breath he'd been holding as he saw that his sister had indeed made the nearly impossible jump and then turned to his right as he heard a sound that, at the moment, he didn't particularly want to hear. Luke was LAUGHING. Staring at Luke as if he'd just lost his mind, he lightly pushed him against his side of The General.

"What is so danged funny, Luke? She could have gotten hurt trying that jump. Would you stop that?!"

"So could you every time you make a jump Bo." Luke couldn't stop laughing. "She did warn us. Remember what she told us last night? I bet the whole drive here you were telling her to slow down, pull over, and to turn around. Don't ya see? That was as good as goading her, while she already was mad at us for what she considered coddling her."

"So what? We should have just stood there and not done anything?"

"I didn't say that. But once we got out to the lot, maybe we should've dropped it. And you know something else Cuz, she rides better than we all thought too. 'Cause this time, unlike on the way to the Boar's Nest, you and Coy were actually tryin' to beat her. And she still mopped the floor with ya."

Luke grinned at Bo knowing that not many people could have given him the slip but his sister had. Luke hollered out the window to tell the other guys that they may as well go on back to the farm. Bo was still mulling over what Luke had said. Then had to admit, he probably would have done the same thing Kira had done had the situation been reversed. Dang, you'd think he be better at all this brotherly stuff after living a lifetime with Daisy.

* * *

Kira pulled up into the farmyard to find Uncle Jesse waiting on the porch. "Where's the boys at? Ain't they with you?"

"I ain't seen em since I jumped the Stix. They'll be here soon though." Kira saw her keyboard on the porch where Bo had left it that morning and went to grab it to take it on upstairs.

Jesse eyed her since he knew that Bo had only jumped the Stix River once and that had been as a last ditch effort at that. Watching Kira head on inside, he shook his head at the fool notion of jumping that danged river.

Once inside, Kira heard Pauline telling the scores of hungry kids, that she was shooing out of the kitchen, to stay out until supper was ready. One of the kids, heck what was her name, saw the keyboard and came over to Kira.

"What's that?"

Well here's to hoping Coy was right. "What's what, sugar?" The girl pointed at the keyboard. "It's my keyboard."

"You play?"

"A little."

"Can we hear?" Suddenly Kira was surrounded by a chorus of _Please!_

_Oh, why not. Kids are easy to please sometimes. Plus it'll keep them out of trouble._

"Alright, let's go upstairs and find a place to set up."

Kira ended up in Daisy's room with about a half a dozen kids all jumping on her bed calling out the names of various songs that Kira could only imagine must've been common children's songs. Unfortunately, Kira didn't know any of them. When she told the children that she didn't know the songs they requested, they looked at her as if she had done grew another head out of her neck. Did she say kids were easy to please? What was she thinking? Finally, one of the older ones, a girl of about eleven maybe, suggested that she just play her favorite song, everyone knows their favorite song.

"Well my favorite ain't exactly a song, really. It's an old poem that I put to music to help me remember it."

"Let's hear it." Then again a chorus of _Please!_ went up. So Kira began to play out a melody that might have been a mix of a song played in a fairytale and an old medieval movie. A few moments later Kira began to sing the verses that she learned a few years ago.

* * *

"It's about time you boys got home. Head on up and get washed up. Tell all the younger ones to clean up too. They're upstairs with Kira I believe." Pauline sent all the guys on upstairs. Another ten minutes and she would have tanned their hides for being late. Heading upstairs, they heard Kira playing her keyboard and singing in a crisp, clear soprano tone a song that they'd never heard before.

As the music began to fade, Bo knocked on Daisy's door, causing everyone to look up at him. "Alright everyone; get cleaned up. Supper's on." Bo hastily jumped out of the doorway to avoid being trampled. "That sounded real pretty. You write it?"

"Nope. I found that old poem in a really old book a few years ago. I liked it so much I put it to music so I could remember it." Kira started to take her keyboard down.

"Well, ya are a bit of a mystery, I'll give ya that." Kira stared at Bo until she realized he was referring to the last line of the poem she sang. "Kira, look, I'm sorry. Okay."

"Sorry for what?" Kira cocked an eyebrow. Wondering if Bo even knew exactly why she was mad. She'd be willing to bet he was clueless.

"For underestimating you." _Well that's a start._ "Truce?"

"Bo, what would Daisy have done if you treated her like she couldn't even drive just because some jerk made a bad pass at her?"`

"Probably put one of those danged heels of hers right through my foot."

Kira smiled at the image that had popped into her head.

"I know that you were just trying to help me and I love ya for it. But ya got to trust me to know my own limits. If I need help I'll ask. I may not know much about family goings ons but I have dealt with worse things than that moron at the Nest on my own more times than I care to remember. All that happened tonight was to guarantee that Ernie what's his name thinks that I can only take care of myself if I have backup waiting in the wings. Which means the first time I'm out there without you boys, I'll have to put him in his place all over again."

Bo walked over and pulls Kira in front of him and looked down into her eyes. "Didn't figure on it that way. But I ain't going to just sit back while some guy manhandles you!"

"Bo. He grabbed my arm and he ended up on the floor. Not because you put him there. Or Luke, Coy, or Vance. But because I took care of him myself. Just like I've always done." Kira figured that it'd be just as well to drop it for now. Neither would give from here right now. "We'd better head on down." Kira was about to turn back to grab her keyboard when Bo turned her around to give her a hug.

"I love ya, too, Sis."

Kira returned his hug. She really couldn't stay annoyed with him anyway.

* * *

The next morning, Kira was awaken by high pitch squeals and giggling that drifted up the stairs to the attic. Looking at her watch, she saw it was still well before six. Groaning, Kira rolled out of bed and began to figure out what she'd wear. She had planned on wearing the T-shirt that she'd bought at the game Sunday. Looking at her arm where an ugly hand shaped bruise had formed overnight, she knew that the shirt was out. The bruise looked a lot worse than it really was, but she'd just assume that no one saw it all the same. Digging through her bag, she chose a muddy river brown sweater instead and threw on some jeans.

Finally a little after six, Kira headed on down to the circus that was performing in the main part of the house. Breakfast was already underway but Kira remained in the living room while some of the hoard cleared out. The first breakfast shift, seeing that there were still others that appeared to be waiting for a clear spot at the table. Kira leaned her head back on the couch seriously considering heading back upstairs to get some more sleep when she heard the door from the farmyard open and Bo and Luke walked in.

"You owe me five bucks, Bo. I told ya no one could sleep through this chaos."

"Mornin', darlin'. Rise and-"

"Choke on it, Bo." Kira didn't bother opening her eyes. "Is everyone in this family always so dang cheerful in the morning?"

Bo and Luke laughed as they headed on up to get cleaned up from mornin' chores. "You could have slept in. No reason for you to be up just yet."

"I know there ain't no **reason**. But who could sleep with all three rings in full swing down here." Kira stifled a yawn. As she went to speak, the words that had been on the tip of her tongue were lost when another high pitch shriek rang out from one of the girls playing with her sisters.

Getting up, Kira went to the one place she figured that would still be quiet this early in the morning. The barn. She hadn't been inside yet but the stench of the animals had to be kinder to her nose than the giggling and screaming inside the house were to her ears.

* * *

As Bo and Luke finished up their breakfasts, they heard the distinctive sound of a motorcycle racing up the driveway. Getting up, looking out the window, they saw a yellow racing bike similar to Kira's green one. Smiling, they ran outside knowing that the rider could be none other than their cousin Jebb from over in PlacidCounty.

"Jebb, you old rascal! We thought you were supposed to have gotten in last night."

"I got tied up. Listen, when I called last night, Mom said something about you finding your sister. Shoot I didn't even know you had a sister."

"Neither did I, 'til Saturday. I think she's around here somewhere, hiding from all the morning folks."

Bo grinned as he tried to think where Kira might have gone. He knew she hadn't come upstairs when he and Luke were cleaning up. And she wasn't down stairs when they had finished and came back down. Looking across the yard, he finally spied his sister wearing her dark glasses, walking out of the barn.

"Hey, there she is. Come on, Jebb. I'll introduce ya before you go in for some breakfast."

"That's your sister?" Jebb watched Kira walk up.

"Jebb? Is that you?" Bo and Luke exchanged looks with one another before looking back and forth between the two.

"You know each other?"

"Are you kidding? I've been racing Kira since before she was a Pre-law student. She's my main competition."

"Only competition. And here I thought I wouldn't see that mug of yours again til the next racing season." Kira went over to give a half-hug to her long time friend. "I see you got your bike fixed from Saturday."

"Yep. When I see Kinnison again I'm gonna kill him. Who would've thought a charity race would end up so dirty. So you're my new cousin, huh? Well, I always did think you were a lot like a Duke."

Everyone laughed at the irony of it all as they headed on inside. While Kira and Jebb ate, they shared some racing stories from the circuit. Everyone had known that Jebb was an excellent racer, and with him vouching for Kira's abilities, she had the suspicion that the others just might take her more seriously. And not just on the track either.

"I swear, when Kira first joined the circuit, there wasn't a guy that didn't test her. But she met every one of them head on. On the track and in the brawls that always seemed to break out in the local bars. I'll tell ya, she can fight about as good as a man."

"Thanks, Jebb. You can fight about as good as a man, too." Kira grinned as she took a bite of her eggs. The guys smirked at her light jab at Jebb since they all knew that, like any of them, Jebb was well vetted in bar room brawls.

"Of course, she always seemed to magically escape getting arrested for fighting when the rest of us ended up behind bars."

"Not my fault that most sheriffs wouldn't believe that I threw the first punch. Or that most guys refuse to admit that a WOMAN beat the snot out of them."

"Hey, wait a minute. You said every man. You two never fought did ya?"

"Are you kidding? And let word get out that I hit a woman? I'd be disowned as a Duke. I did fight beside her a couple of times, though. Besides, it didn't take long to realize no man in his right mind would take her on." Kira gave her brother a look that obviously asked if he'd take her seriously now.

_'Doesn't mean I got to stand back when the punches fly.'_

Kira just shook her head at him. When it came to stubbornness, they were equally matched.

"Of course she ain't been in as many fights lately." Jebb finished his breakfast as he cleared his place.

"Not a good practice to show up on Monday morning in court with a black eye and a busted lip on a regular basis. Still happens occasionally though." Kira reached for another slice of toast as she spoke.

Pauline was listening to the conversation and decided it was time to separate her niece from her nephews and son so that they could talk without her showing off for the guys. That had to be the reason for her disrespect towards her yesterday. Just showing off for the guys. Well she knew one way to get rid of them.

"Kira, the other women have all started with their dishes for lunch. I'd figured you'd help with the sweet potato casserole. You can get started after you finish eating."

Kira blanched at Pauline. Had she just been recruited into feeding the Duke army? Not just recruited, but given orders at that?

"Aunt Pauline, you do NOT want Kira to cook! I've seen her kitchen. She lives on instant oatmeal, cold cereal, frozen dinners, and take-out. I don't even remember seeing a can opener in her apartment."

Pauline looked at Kira surprised. "You can't cook?"

She looked like she just might have a coronary at the thought of a Duke woman NOT being able to cook. Kira fought her natural urge to defend herself against the accusation. After all, she'd argue herself right into spending the morning cooking for the whole clan, side-by-side with Pauline. She could cook. She just didn't. There wasn't much point cooking for one. But, if Bo was going to give her an out, she'd take it.

"Food's suppose to keep ya alive. Anything past that is extra." Kira shrugged her shoulders as she answered.

"How do you expect to catch a man if you can't cook?" _Here we go again._ Kira rolled her eyes.

"I don't. In fact, I'm using it as a deterrent. If'n that don't work; there's always my _**STERLING**_ personality. That should send any fool that gets too close a runnin'." Kira answer was dripping with sarcasm.

That sent up another round of laughter from the men at the table. Well, except from Jesse. He gave her a warning look that she didn't see but Luke did. Luke nudged Bo to get his attention. At least now he knew what was so funny yesterday when he'd been exiled to the other table so Pauline could talk to Kira. It was oh so clear that those two rubbed one another the wrong way. As much as he'd like to watch the show, they'd better get Kira out of here before she digs herself into a hole too deep to get out of. Seeing what Luke saw, Bo grabbed Kira's arm and started to pull her toward the door as he spoke.

"Besides, I already planned to show Kira around the farm before the game starts. Later."

Bo pulled Kira out the door while Luke was right behind her practically pushing her from behind. Fortunately, Luke was able to get out the door himself before bursting out laughing at both Kira's and Pauline's faces as the boys ushered her outside.


	10. A Time to Stop Fighting

**Chapter 11: Time to stop fightin'**

* * *

Kira had ended up sitting beside Daisy with some of the younger cousins at lunch since the guys were all eating with Judd. He had come in literally moments before lunch was put on the table.

Daisy shared with Kira the hazards of growing up as the only female in the house full of men. Told her of some of the various scrapes that the boys had gotten into that they always seemed to be able to get out of with one of Luke's hair-brained schemes, along with help from Jesse and Daisy. Including once when Jebb was there and posed as a crook's son to get a stolen civil war sword away from Boss.

Knowing just how slick Jebb could talk, she imagined that he'd had Boss's head spinning trying to keep up. There had been a time or two that he'd nearly out-slickered her, NEARLY. He definitely kept her on her toes though. In fact, if the Duke Men could sack and sell half of what came out of their mouths they would have never of needed to run moonshine. They'd make a killing on that alone.

Daisy had also filled her in on the fact that up until a couple years ago, they all had believed that Judd had died in a fire when he was a baby. Well, Kira thought, looks like we both have one thing in common. They both had returned to the Duke family from the dead. The main difference was that the nurse that had taken Judd in had cared for him.

Kira stopped her train of thought where it was. She was NOT going to go there. Not today. Kira was brought back to the present by one of the girls tugging on her sleeve. She was one of Pauline's daughters; one of the twins. In the back of her mind Kira wondered if she and her twin had a connection like she and Bo.

"They say you and Bo are twins, too."

"That's what they tell me, sugar."

"Who's older?"

"I don't rightly know. I haven't asked." That earned her an odd looking face being made at her. "It didn't seem important."

"Of course it's important. See, I'm older." The girl pointed at her own chest. "It's always important."

Taking Kira by the hand, she proceeded to pull Kira over to the one person that everyone goes to when they have a question in this family that they consider to be important. Jesse. Daisy followed as her cousin was dragged to the next table.

"Uncle Jesse! Who's older? Kira says she doesn't know. Says it's not important. How can she say that something like that AIN'T important?"

Jesse smiled at his niece as he began to answer her question. Of course she'd find that detail to be the most important. She did after all hold it over her sister's head on a regular basis.

"Well I guess Kira thinks that since she's full grown, she don't need her big brother lookin' after her."

"So Bo's older?"

"Yep, by about five minutes."

That's when Daisy chimed in, "It figures, he always was in a hurry to go anywhere. Then not sure what to do once he got there. Honey, if you thought he was protective before, wait 'til he hears this. We Dukes have always been taught to look after the younger ones, no matter how little the age difference. Just ask Luke about that one."

"Do we have to let Bo know?" Kira half laughed, half groaned at what Daisy had said.

"Too late, there goes Emma to tell em now." Laughing, the two women headed back to their table to finish lunch.

When everyone was done, Kira went on ahead and helped cleared since she really couldn't see why she shouldn't, considering she hadn't helped with the cooking. A couple of times she took a longer route from the tables to the kitchen to avoid running into Pauline. After this morning, she made a promise to Bo that she'd TRY not to lose her tongue around their aunt anymore. The only way she knew to keep that promise was to stay as far away as possible.

It appeared though, that her silence seemed to annoy the elder Duke more than an all out argument. Still, Kira figured that this was better than nothing. She didn't want to fight with Pauline; she just had made it hard to do anything but go head to head with her. Thinking back on her time here on the farm so far, Kira was beginning to see WHY some people tend to get drunk when they had to spend time with their family. Too bad the Duke family was out of the 'shine business.

* * *

After lunch, Kira headed upstairs to go over some more briefs for Monday. Bo was watching the first game of the day with Coy and Vance, since Kira said she would wait until the four o'clock game to start watching football. Luke was off with Judd and Jebb, so now was as good a time as any to sneak some time to herself.

Once in the attic, Kira had only read through a few sheets before her mind began to wander. Usually she never had any trouble concentrating on her work. Today was different. She didn't know why but her mind just wouldn't focus. Instead, she found herself looking through some of the old things that had been packed away here in the attic.

Some of the things appeared to have been stored since Jesse's own childhood. Other things, the items that drew her, obviously had been from the three Dukes that had most recently grown up in the old farmhouse. Kira found some dolls of Daisy's sitting in a cradle, Bo's old football gear, and it looked like some kind of old science project that had to have been Luke's. There were old clothes, toys, and photograph books.

It was the last that caught her attention. Kira grabbed the albums and went and sat on her makeshift bed. Most of the people in the snapshots she didn't have a clue as to who they were. But there were four that she'd quickly learned to identify.

There were pictures of birthdays, Christmases, summer-time fun pics and even pictures of snowball fights. There were pictures of the boys in grade school holding up a string of fish after a fishing trip and Daisy's first party dress. There were even pictures of Luke before he went off into the Marines and more of when he first got out. In nearly every single picture, everyone seemed to radiate pure happiness, with smiles that went all the way to their eyes.

Looking through the albums, Kira couldn't help but wonder at the could've beens. _Well, you can't change the past can you?_

Digging through her memory of hers and Bo's _"chats"_ when they were growing up, she was able to pick out some of the various events that were captured in the pictures. Bo always did like to give nearly every detail to her when they were kids of whatever he had done that day. Flipping through, Kira found the pictures taken at Bo's ninth birthday where he was showing off his new bow he'd gotten that year. There he was, a cute kid with a mop of blond hair smiling like he'd just won the lotto.

That's where Kira was, still looking at the photos, when Jesse came up the stairs. He knocked on the wall once he got to the top of the landing. Looking up, Kira started to try to clear the albums away.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to go snooping. I came up to get some work done but my mind just wasn't on it."

"No need to apologize. There ain't no harm in looking at pictures." Jesse comes over to sit down beside Kira.

"You still say that? Seems to me I'm here because folks went looking through pictures a few days back."

"And look how well that turned out." Kira cocked her eyebrow at Jesse. Seems like with the way she and his sister-in-law had been feuding, Jesse just might have preferred that Kira hadn't come to the farm. "Let's see just what kind of pictures you've found. Well, Bo's ninth birthday." Jesse looked at the picture a moment. "We missed too many of them with you."

Kira remained silent a while before speaking up.

"That one wasn't too bad. I got a cake that year. I was staying with a couple in Glenwood. They were nice. The kind of couple that wanted kids but couldn't have any. I was only there for five months before they moved to Alabama for their work, though." Kira looked away, out the window.

"What about the others?" Jesse knew that sometimes, his kids needed a push when there was something to talk through. He reckoned Kira was the same way. After all, it was clear that what ever happened in the past had been going through her mind anyway while she was sitting up here all alone.

"They came, they went. Nothing special."

Kira kept looking out the window. She didn't really want anyone to know. They didn't need those images in their heads. If she could have, she would have taken back all that she had told Bo when they were growing up.

Jesse reasoned that maybe she needed a more direct push. He flipped the pages of the book, stopping on Bo's fifth birthday. "How about this one? How was this one?" Kira looked at the picture. Subconsciously rubbing her right arm as she did so. "I really want to know, Kira."

"No, you don't."

Kira once again looked away out the window. Outside she saw the Duke children playing with various adults. All laughing as they played. Screams of delight rose to where she was watching as she remembered screams of a different kind. Swallowing hard, Kira finally answered Jesse's question.

"That was the first time my arm was broke."

"The first time?" Jesse listened as his fears were confirmed. "How many times was it broke?"

"The right arm was twice, left arm once. _Mama Selma_, as she insisted everyone call her, was big on _Disipline_. Her favorite phrase was that she demanded either respect or fear. Which one didn't matter as long as she was obeyed."

Kira thought back to Selma. To the woman that had been one of her first foster parents. She had stayed with her the longest. Only removed after her fourth hospital stay.

Jesse flipped forward through the book, stopping on Bo's thirteenth birthday. "How about this one?"

Kira looked at the photograph trying to recall that birthday. That one she didn't have a clear cut memory of. She had run away again a few weeks prior to that one. The days all seemed to blur into one another after a while. Then there were pictures of other birthdays. All of which Jesse would ask where Kira had been, what she had done on that birthday. Some that she wouldn't talk about; Jesse was beginning to pick up on what wasn't said.

When he and Kira had been talking for a couple of hours, Kira suddenly looked at her watch. It was almost four. Kick off was at four-fifteen.

Looking up at Jesse, "I think Bo's wondering if I forgot about the game."

His nephew always did have rotten timing. Reaching out to stop Kira from getting up just yet, he reached over to grab the album that had been set aside that Kira had found the pictures of Luke in earlier.

"Just one more thing, Kira." Jesse opened the book up to a photograph of Luke just after he had gotten out of the Marines. "When Luke first got back home, he had a hard time re-adjustin'. Kept fightin' the war; even here in Hazzard. Went on night patrols, never could relax. Jumped every time a truck would backfire. But eventually, Luke had to leave the war behind and stop fightin'. You don't have to fight in your war anymore, either. It's time to come home, baby. It's time to stop fightin'."

"I don't know if I can." Kira looked down at her hands, not liking to admit that there was something she couldn't do.

"You probably can't by yourself. But you don't have to do it by yourself. Ya got family now. And we want to help. You remember that, okay? Now, I guess ya better get on down before Bo gets to worrin' about ya."

* * *

When Kira got downstairs, she headed on over to where Bo was sitting on the couch as he scooted over to make room for her. She noticed all the guys had glasses of a clear substance that she highly doubted was water. Redirecting her steps, Kira instead headed into the kitchen; looked in the cabinets quickly before finding what she wanted. Grabbing a glass of her own, she headed over to Luke, Jebb, and then to Bo as she dropped a few drops of liquid into each glass. The contents in each glass turned to yellow as they looked at her as if she had just lost her mind. Clearly, she owed them an explanation.

"If I get called before the Ethics Committee, Parole Board, or anything, I want to honestly say that it APPEARED you fellas were drinking lemonade. I don't plan to be the reason you're caught breaking probation. I know no evil, I see no evil, and I ain't plannin' on speakin' no evil. Besides, a little food color ain't gonna change the taste none."

Bo exchanged a look with Luke and Jebb. They hadn't thought about her being a lawyer and how it might make drinking the moonshine a touchy point with their probation. Kira took her seat and took a sip out of her glass. This stuff had a kick to it. Good, she could use that kind of kick right about now.

_'You okay?'_ Bo had been ready to tease his sister about her nearly missing the kick-off until he saw her face as she sat down. She looked a bit upset.

_'Fine, just lost track of time is all.'_ Kira didn't feel fine. But she wasn't going to say that. Seeing the look Bo was giving her, she blew out a breath before adding,_ 'Later, OK?'_

"You sure you want to pull for the Cowboys? They ain't exactly been playin' their best this year."

"You kiddin'? I was gonna ask ya if you want to place a wager on the game. You think your Saints have a prayer?" Bo grinned as he and his sister began a friendly rivalry over the game as the teams ran out onto the field.

"First rule of gambling, Bo. Never bet what you can't afford to lose. Especially when you're betting on the wrong team."

Everyone in the room started to discuss the teams and their own predictions of the outcome of the game. Judd had jump on board the Cowboys fan train with Bo, while Coy and Vance were with Kira pulling for the Saints. Luke and Jebb claimed that they weren't pulling for either team; that they were just there to enjoy the game regardless of who won.

* * *

For supper, left-overs had been left out to allow everyone to graze as they got hungry. Kira had offered to get food out of the kitchen for the fellas. Not because she was just being nice. Nope, each time she made a trip to the kitchen, she would chug a glass of water and grab a bit to eat; hoping to stave off some of the effects of the 'shine. All the while, watching the guys as they began to drink more whiskey.

They had even added the food coloring to the whole jug, and then laughed like fools when one of their uncles came in and blanched at the yellow liquid as it was poured in their cups. Then with each of them sporting a hefty buzz, they'd tried to explain why the moonshine had been colored when Uncle Jesse came in. Watching the antics of the half drunk Dukes, Kira just had to ask a question that popped into her head.

"I've got to ask. Why is it that nearly every moonshiner always uses the same blasted jugs? It seems to me that if a 'shiner was a bit more creative he could probably avoid getting caught." Luke led the laughter as he heard his cousin who'd never ran 'shine a day in her life talk about being more creative. Shiner's weren't anything if not creative when it came to running moonshine.

"Just what would you suggest in being more creative then?"

"I don't know. Anything other than the same old jugs. Shoot, you could've doctored up the 'shine to look like window cleaner. You've tasted yourself that the coloring don't hurt it none. You could even have an actual case of window cleaner there as a blind if'n you were stopped." Kira stopped talking when she noticed everyone had stopped laughing and was staring at her. "What?"

"Luke, you thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?" Bo asked.

"What? How could a Duke know so little about running 'shine?" Kira poured herself another glass of the afore mentioned moonshine as Luke went to answer.

"You mean that if Kira'd been here a few years ago, we might not have ended up on probation? Kira, if that's what you can come up with without even tryin', you'd be dangerous if you actually put your mind to it."

Kira accepted the compliment as everyone broke out into laughter again.

"You'd of made one heck of a Ridge Runner!"

"Or a Revenuer." Bo had to laugh as Vance threw that suggestion out there.

"Oh, I'm sure that THAT would have made me real popular with the rest of the family. Not to mention more than five generations of Dukes would've rolled over in their graves."

"I guess that is just the sort of thinkin' though that has it rumored that you'll make Prosecutor by this time next year," Jesse added.

"What are you talkin' about? What rumors?"

"You ain't the only one who can call in favors. I called an old friend of mine and he said that you are well on your way. That you were really something in the courtroom. That you're known for having fire in your eyes and ice in your veins when you're up in Atlanta."

"Someone's tryin' to shuck 'n jive ya, Jesse. I've got a couple years yet before I'd take those rumors seriously."

After a bit more kidding about Kira's _'shining _potential, the conversation returned to the close game. Come half-time, it was still a scoreless game. At which time, Jesse reminded the guys that the evening chores had yet to be done. In order to get them done as fast as possible, all the guys went on out to get started. With the six doing the work that usually two did, the chores were just getting finished up as the teams ran back out on to the field. So once again, the seven settled back into watching the game.

By the end of the game, no one had really been paying much attention to it. Finally the seven had been shooed out of the living room to allow those that had been assigned to sleep in there to turn in. As Kira was preparing for the night, she thought to herself that the fellas were all going to be sporting some mighty big hangovers in the morning. None of them had drank anything but moonshine in hours, nothing brought on a hangover worse than being dehydrated while getting a good buzz going. Kira had the sneaky suspicion that she wouldn't be the only one a bit grumpy when the sun found Hazzard back in its sights come the morning.

* * *

The next morning, Kira awoke trying to avoid the bright streak of light that began to filter in from the window. She had a mild headache, but she had expected worse considering that she wasn't used to drinking the nearly two hundred proof whiskey. Looking at her watch, she saw it was nearly seven o'clock.

Surprised that she'd been allowed to sleep so long, Kira got dressed and headed on down to see if she could get some breakfast. Finding Daisy in the kitchen, Kira asked if she'd seen any of her partners in crime from the night before.

"Honey, Uncle Jesse got Bo and Luke up about a half an hour early for chores this morning then got the others up to help take down all the tables right after he FORCED them all to eat breakfast. Hard work has always been his way of punishment for having a hangover. They're all lucky that there ain't no fences that need mending right now. They're all outside now getting everything up."

"How'd I get lucky enough to avoid the Wrath of Jesse? 'Course, I don't have a hangover, just a mild headache."

"You'd have to ask him I reckon. He's around here somewhere."

Kira headed outside and watched as the fellas were all busy taking the tables down and stacking the chairs. She felt sorry for the guys all out in the bright sunny morning, each with hangovers about the size of the whole state of Georgia. Walking over to Bo, she hands her sunglasses to him as she asks,

_'Need some help?'_

Bo glanced up looking like he just might get sick any moment before accepting the glasses.

_'How come you don't seem too bad after last night?'_

Kira started stacking some chairs near where Bo was taking down a table.

_'Let's just say I learned more than just about the law in college.' _

Bo looked at her a bit confused. Not knowing just what she meant by that.

_'I learned to make sure I drink a glass of water with each glass of liqueur. I kept snacking last night, too. In college, binge drinking is a favorite hobby of a lot of students.'_

Bo just shook his head slightly. His head hurt too badly to really think on what Kira just told him. Soon, both trucks were loaded up and were ready to take a load of tables and chairs back to the Ladies League from where the Dukes had borrowed them. While Bo, Luke, Coy, and Vance left out to unload them, Jebb, Judd, and Kira kept working on the ones that had yet to be taken down or stacked.

The morning progressed without the usual banter back and forth that Kira had learned to expect from them. But what really made her feel bad for the fellas was when Pauline came out to talk to Jebb and Judd. It seemed that Kira wasn't the only one that she'd decided needed advice on relationships, though she seemed to come down even harder on her son.

Pauline still had the girls at home yet she was already pushing Jebb to give her grandkids to spoil. Both guys were currently dodging questions about if they had found a suitable girl to settle down with. When they planned to settle down. And of course a lecture of the evils of getting drunk. Kira noticed how both men seemed to accept the intrusion and lecturing with little more than some light squirming.

Kira knew now why the others had found her responses to Pauline to be entertaining. She had just done what they couldn't bring themselves to do. Much to Kira's relief, Pauline didn't start in on her this morning. If she had, Kira highly doubted that she would have been as complacent as her blond and brunette cousins currently were to her needling.

Finally, after several loads, all the chairs and tables had been returned. As soon as the work was done, everyone with a hangover promptly went in search of a place to hideout for the rest of the morning. Meanwhile, the majority of the relatives were packing up and had began to filter out of the Duke farm. Kira had found her way back behind the barn where the vehicles were parked. With nothing else to do, she grabbed some tools out of the barn and began to tune-up her bike. No sooner had she started before she was joined by Jebb.

"Hey, Jebb. What are you doing out here?"

"Probably the same thing as you. Hiding." Kira laughed as Jebb glanced behind him, looking to see if he'd been followed. "Mom was talking about introducing me to a new neighbor back home."

"Well at least I know that I'm not the only one she's been harassing. I swear if I hear one more word about that Earl what's his name that she's been going on about, I'll scream." Jebb laughed as he figured, that unlike most people who might would say that just to be dramatic, Kira just might actually do it.

"Well if you're done with your bike, how about I show ya to Rainbow Canyon where we can get some practice in while we're waiting for the crowd to clear?"

"You're on. It's got to be better than when I raced the others."

Jebb had heard about the other night, his cousins had made the mistake of assuming that Kira couldn't race. Sometimes, his cousins could be fools.

"Then let's hit it."

* * *

"Well, that about does it. We're all ready. I done said goodbye to everyone but Jebb and Kira. I ain't seen hide nor hair of either of them in hours." Pauline was guiding her daughters into the backseat of her car as her husband was putting the last suitcase into the trunk.

"Well, I saw both of them tear out of here on their bikes earlier. But with the way you were going on about them neighbors of yours, I kind've doubt they'll be back 'til after you're done and gone."

"Jesse, the only thing I was doing-"

"Was pushing every button you could on them kids. Same as you do every year. You know as well as I do that the more you push any of these youngens to do something, the more likely they'll do the exact opposite. And ya didn't even let Kira get her feet wet before ya started in on her too. Now Pauline you know I love ya to death but I've been waitin' for years to see just how long it would take for these youngens to spit back.

Now ordinarily, I don't hold for no sassin' back from these kids, but they've all got a fightin' streak a mile wide and you can only poke a dog for so long before he bites back. Now these youngens have all been taught to respect their elders, but that don't mean that you can take advantage of it."

Pauline looked at Jesse in total shock as he chastised her for the first time in years. She was about to answer back when she turned towards the sound of two motorcycles racing up the driveway. The yellow and green bikes were coming up the drive in a dead heat with one another. The two pulled up just short of where Jesse and Pauline were standing. Pulling off his helmet, Jebb jumped off to hug goodbye to his mom and dad before they left, promising to be home Sunday evening.

Kira headed on inside during the goodbyes, looking for Coy and Vance since they would be leaving out shortly as well. She may not miss Pauline, but she would admit that she will miss those two. She made sure to give them both her number to her apartment and her office and told them to give her a ring if they were ever in Atlanta.


	11. To Shuck 'N Jive

**Chapter 12: To Shuck 'N Jive**

* * *

With all the relatives gone but Judd and Jebb, the house seemed oddly quiet after the invasion of the Duke farm. After evening chores, the six Duke cousins all decided to go Jukin' that night to unwind after all the chaos that always follows a big get together. Despite the chill in the air, Kira declined to either ride in The General or take her own truck. Instead, like Jebb, she rode her bike out to the Boar's Nest. After a brief attempt, Bo gave up trying to change her mind. He realized that she was only insisting on the bike because both he and Uncle Jesse had suggested for her to ride with the others. Both she and Jebb had already made a friendly bet on which of the two would beat the other to the bar first. Jebb had also tried talking to Bo about lightening up when it came to Kira. Seems that he already knew Bo's own sister better than he did.

Reluctantly, Bo decided to try to give her some space. But he wasn't promising nothing if trouble starts. So here he was driving his three brunette cousins, Daisy, Luke, and Judd, in the General while Jebb and Kira took off on their bikes toward the Boar's Nest. And try as he might, The General just wasn't able to keep up with the bikes once they went off-road into areas that no car, General included, could go.

* * *

Kira pulled up less than a second behind Jebb; less than a second but she lost. Laughing the two hop off their bikes and headed into The Nest. Looks like the first round would be on her. She never thought she'd be happy to lose a race, of course this time she knew she lost fair and square. Grabbing a table, she and Jebb went ahead and had a pitcher of beer brought over and Kira ordered a Scotch. By the time the drinks were delivered to the table, Bo and the others finally showed up and had joined them at the table. In no time at all, the six had began to laugh and carry on like they hadn't a care in the world. All were dancing up a storm to the music coming from the Jukebox and Kira was having more fun than she'd had in a long time.

After a song ended, Kira made her way back to the table from dancing with Bo and Luke's dark-skinned friend, Brody. It appeared that the smooth-talk-market wasn't held exclusively by the Duke men in Hazzard. By the time she was joined by the others, she was about tempted to ask if anyone had brought a shovel; it was getting deep in here. Kira sat the next dance out as the others headed back to the dance floor. Looking towards the door, she noticed a familiar face walking in. Keeping track of the newcomer, Kira checked to see if the others had notice the latest patron. They hadn't and she wasn't about point him out.

Soon, Cooter had joined the Dukes and Kira easily saw that he really was like part of the family. Truth be told, he was already much more a Duke than Kira thought she ever could be. Eventually, he asked Kira to dance as well.

"Seeing as how your brother and cousins are here I'll even promise to behave," Cooter said while giving a lop-sided grin and a wink.

Teasing back Kira asked, "Then what's the point?"

"Danged if I know." Both laughed along with the rest as they headed to the floor. Midway through the song, Kira noticed that Ernie had left the bar and had gone over to talk to Bo. Cooter noticed too, "Uh Oh. Trouble." Knowing that ordinarily, Luke was the one that took on Ernie for a reason. But tonight, it seemed that Bo was ready to give the fight that Ernie was looking for. Kira was ready to head back over when Cooter stopped her. "If it's a fair fight, we gotta stay out of it. Ya know how mad you were the other night when the whole family came a runnin', well same's here."

"That part of the good 'ole boys' handbook?"

Grinning slightly, "Something like that."

Still watching the exchange across the room, Kira saw Bo abruptly send a left cross at Ernie before an all out brawl was underway. No sooner had the fight started than Kira heard something about how Rosco had been called and was on his way. Rosco, the sheriff.

Grabbing Cooter's arm, she asks, "Any rules about not letting the sheriff get in here?"

"No why?"

"You park around back or out front?"

"Round back, again, WHY?" Cooter asked a bit confused while still trying to follow the fight across the room.

"You up for a little shuck 'n jive?"

"Next to a good fight, there ain't nothin' like a good jive. If'n it's one on old Rosco, then it's even better. What 'cha got in mind?"

"Come on, I'll explain it outside."

* * *

Just as Cooter finished getting into place, Rosco's patrol car came to reckless stop just outside the Boar's Nest. Kira walked away from The General doing her utmost best effort NOT to look back. Instead she made a beeline to the patrol car as Rosco got out gleefully rubbing his hands together in anticipation of arresting a Duke.

"Sheriff Coltrane, I'm glad you made it. I hope you don't mind it being me, waitin' on ya here." Kira hopped up on the trunk to sit, causing Rosco to stop and turn back to her.

"What? I was told that there was a-"

"I didn't figure you'd come if you were just told that a Duke wanted to talk to ya. So, well..."

"You wanted to talk to me? Why?"

"I just wanted to thank you personally for everything you did. Trying to find me when I was little and all. I know that the cases involving children are always the worst to work on. Give me an ordinary crook any day. Not everyone can handle the children."

"I was just doing my job. I'm sorry I didn't find ya. But I'm glad that everything's goin' to work out all the same."

Kira hopped off the trunk and walked over to Rosco and slipped her arm through Rosco's giving him a smile. She hoped that Cooter was ready.

"Well, how about we go on in and I'll buy ya a drink?"

"That's mighty nice of ya. I'd be just a pleased as punch to accept your offer." Just as Rosco went the close the door to the patrol car, the CB came to life.

_"Breaker one, Breaker one. I might be crazy but I ain't dumb. Cr-A-zy Cooter comin' right at ya. Rosco, you got your ears on? Come back."_

Reaching in to grab the CB mic, "This is Rosco P. Coltrane. I got my ears, eyes, and nose on. What do you want?"

_"I thought you told them kids not to be drag racin' down by the Mudd Flatts over on Pinehurst Ridge."_

"I did! Are you telling me them dang-blasted kids are back again?"

_"Now I ain't sayin' they are, and I ain't sayin' they ain't. I just figured you'd might want to ride out and take a look for yourself."_

"Oooh! I'll get them kids. I'm down and I'm gone." Turning back to Kira, "Looks like I'll have to take a rain-check on that drink."

"That's alright. Maybe when I'm back in town, I'll run a speed trap and we'll play tag, instead." Kira laughed as she heard Roscoe giggle to himself.

"Oh, Hot pursuit! I love it, I love it! I'll catch 'cha later." With that Rosco sped off towards the Mudd Flatts.

"Not if I can help it," Kira mumbled to herself as she watched the patrol car speeding down the dirt road. When the car was out of sight she signaled the all clear to Cooter. Climbing out of the stock car, he busted out laughing causing Kira to join him.

"Just what would you have done if he hadn't of fallen for that?"

"I would've thought of something," Kira paused then added, "or prayed."

"Fortunately, it worked. Let's go see if those two are still at it, now."

Once back inside, Kira saw that Luke had Bo back at the table and it looked like some of Ernie's friends had him over in a corner and was trying to convince him that it was time to leave. By the looks of it, there hadn't really been a winner. It also looked like Bo wouldn't be driving home considering his right eye was already swelling shut. Taking her seat, Bo looked over at her.

"Where did you two disappear to?" Kira picked up her glass as she answered.

"While you were in here two steppin' with Ernie, I took Cooter outside to take advantage of em," Kira took a sip to mask the smirk as she tried to keep a straight face. After a pause to allow eyebrows to be raised and looks exchanged she added, "Puttin' him to work on a little shuck 'n jive on Rosco."

"And one fittin' of a Duke. I 'bout died when old Rosco tore out of here towards the Flatts. The whole time he thought Kira was just as sweet as can be. She even told him that they'd have a game of tag the next time she's in town." The cousins all laughed at the image of Rosco getting excited over having a new Duke to chase. Then just as Kira went to take the last sip of her scotch, Cooter added, "For the record, darlin'. You can take advantage of me anytime."

That caused everyone to laugh once again while Kira choked on her drink.

"I'll admit I opened that door, but don't ya think that you could have waited until AFTER I'd finished my drink?" Kira asked as she tried to catch her breath.

"Could have, but it wouldn't have been as much fun," Cooter answered.

"On that note, I think that perhaps we should get out of here before the sheriff gets out to Pinehurst and finds that no one has been up there racing. Wouldn't do at all if he came back and we were all still in here."

Bo knew that teenagers had been racing in the Flatts since Uncle Jesse was a teenager. Still, with their luck, this would be the one night that every teen with a souped-up engine would be grounded. So despite the fact that the likely hood of Rosco catching on was as slim as a Boss deciding to go on a diet, the Dukes (plus one Davenport) all headed on back out.

* * *

The next day, Kira was wandering though stalls at the festival that resembled a lot like a county fair. In fact it was held at the old fair grounds at the edge of town. Several of the local merchants and craftsmen had set up to take advantage of the Thanksgiving Day Festival to kick off the Christmas shopping season. There were dozens of stalls selling everything from baked goods to knickknacks. Ordinarily, Kira did not like shopping for anything. Typically she would shop as quickly as possible unless she was with Sam. She'd long since learned that shopping to Sam was more like therapy. She loved to take her time and when Kira was with her, so did she.

Today, though, it didn't seem like shopping as she went from stall to stall. It was exploring. She was able to tell a lot about the county by the wares that it sold. She was at one of the stalls trying to find a present for Sam. Kira was debating between two music boxes. One was a light lavender, the other a pale pink. Even though Kira personally didn't care for the color pink, she knew that Sam loved it so much that her room practically looked like a Pepto-Bismol bottle had exploded. Well, you are supposed to buy the gift for the person, not for yourself. So she told the nice woman running the stall that she'd take the pink music box that played _Some Where Over the Rainbow_.

That was when Bo came up behind her and threw his arm across her shoulders. Seeing the box, he chuckled . "Didn't really picture you being the powder-puff type. You never liked pink if I recall right."

Kira rolled her eyes. "I don't, but I thought Sam would like it. Her room is practically a nightmare of pink. Plus she loves watchin' old Judy Garland movies. So she'll like the song too." Looking around, Kira tried to decide what to do next. "What's everyone else up to?"

"I think Daisy is over at the tilt-a-whirl with Enos. Luke met Becky Ann over at the Ferris Wheel last I saw. Not sure about the others. You want to ride any of the rides?"

"Are you kidding? After that ride here in The General Lee, they all seem just a bit tame in comparison. Not to mention, I doubt that the female half of the Hazzard population would forgive me if I monopolize your day."

Kira had noticed the looks she had been given by many of the women in town since arriving at the festival. She'd bounced between annoyance and finding them hilarious. She knew that no one but Boss, Rosco, Brody and Cooter knew who she was. With the fact that she'd already been seen twice at the Boar's Nest with the Dukes and she was a stranger in a town where everyone knew most everyone else and their families, tongues were wagging. Gossip spread like a wildfire in small areas like Hazzard.

"Why would spending the day with my sister be a problem for anyone?"

Kira looked at her brother and saw he really hadn't put things together. Could he be so dense? So as she answered, she popped her palm against his forehead. "Because, Bo-Bear, no one KNOWS I'm your sister."

Okay, she couldn't help it. She had to laugh as Bo realized just what the townsfolk had assumed about him and Kira.

"So that's why Mary Jo gave me the cold shoulder earlier today." Mary Jo was Bo's latest fling. In fact, he was supposed to have taken her out last Saturday. In everything that had happened Bo had stood her up and forgotten all about her last week. "Oh No! Dang-it. How am I gonna explain this without it sounding like a shuck 'n jive? She ain't gonna believe me."

"You'll think of something," Kira answered as she continued to chuckle at her brother's predicament. "I'm sure this ain't the first time you've gotten in hot water with a girl only to bail your way out."

Kira took her wrapped present from the lady at the stall as she began to walk towards the center of the festivities. Across the square, Bo saw Mary Jo walking arm in arm with Ernie. Scowling, Bo got ready to head over.

"Doesn't look like I'll have that chance."

Following Bo's gaze, Kira saw the two heading over to one of the rides together. Looking back at Bo, knowing exactly what he had in mind, she put a hand up on his chest to stop him.

_'You sure that's a good idea. After all, you already can't see out of one eye. Plus Jesse wasn't too happy about last night. You really want to get into it again so soon with Ernie?'_

Bo looked back and forth between his sister and the couple across the square before blowing out a breath. Turning away with Kira, he figured that she was right about letting this one go. Jesse would tan him good for sure if he started anything here at the festival.

"Well, how about I start to introduce ya around. The looks we get ought to be entertaining enough." Bo tried his best to grin at her even though he'd rather be putting his fist through Ernie's teeth right now.

As the twins wandered in the opposite direction, they came across Emma Tisdale. As she walked up, she looked like she was on a mission and Bo was pretty sure WHAT that mission might be. "Well, Bo. How are you?"

"Just fine, Ms. Tisdale; and you?"

"Fine, fine. You plannin' on introducin' that young lady to me or should I just go back and listen to the gossip floatin' around instead." She's always been known for being a bit forward and direct.

"Yes ma'am. Kira, this here is Emma Tisdale. Our post-mistress. Ms. Tisdale, this is my sister, Kira."

"Well, I remember something about how you had a sister, but I didn't know you knew. Why, let me look at you child." Emma squinted through her glasses as she studied Kira. "Well, you seemed to have done pretty well for yourself," she said as she noticed that the green sweater that Kira was wearing didn't seem to be an ordinary wool or cotton blend. Cashmere if she guessed right. Folks in Hazzard didn't bother wasting their money on expensive sweaters like that one. "Well, welcome back to Hazzard. Where you been keeping yourself lately?"

"I live in Atlanta, ma'am," Kira answered.

"Atlanta, huh? What do you do in Atlanta?"

_Time for them odd looks_, Kira thought to herself. "I'm a Defense Attorney."

Emma looked Kira up and down, then over to Bo. "Good, maybe you can help keep your brother and cousin out of trouble. They're good boys, just a bit high-spirited."

"I can try. They'll even get the family rate." Kira winked at Bo as she grinned at the elderly woman. "Of course, that's providin' that they don't keep me so busy I can't take on PAYIN' clients."

The three chuckled a bit as they all knew just how often the Dukes just MIGHT need legal help given the fact that J.D. Hogg had a vendetta on the Dukes.

"Well, I hope you'll be around Hazzard more often now. I have ta get goin' but ya'll tell ya'lls handsome Uncle Jesse I said hey. They're gonna start the cake walk without me if'n I don't get movin'."

"With Miss Tisdale knowing who you are, word will get out fast. Everyone in Hazzard has to see her to get their mail. Now if we can just find Maybelle, the operator at the telephone company, the whole county'll know by night fall." Bo said as he and Kira continued walking. Looking towards the band stand at the center of the square, Bo saw that folks had been setting up instruments and now the town's folk were all taking turns getting up and singing their favorite songs. Grinning, he turned to Kira who stopped him before he could suggest anything.

"You wanna go up there, be my guest but I ain't gettin' up there, Bo. So forget it."

A little disappointed, Bo didn't push it. Instead, he went and signed up to be put on the list. Already, Becky Ann had sweet-talked Luke into getting up on stage and was singing _Up on Cripple Creek_. Bo chose to sing _In the Driver's Seat_. He even saw Jebb walk over to the list and wondered what he'd sing. About an hour later, both he and Kira were applauding Daisy as she finished singing a song that she had written when Boss went to read the next name off the list.

"Alright, let's see who we have up next. Well, well, well, and well. It seems we have another Duke wantin' to croon a little. Next up is Miss Kira Kyle DUKE."

"BO! You didn't!" Kira swung around to her brother. She had told him specifically that she did NOT want to go up.

"I didn't! I swear!" Bo saw the look that Kira gave him that said she didn't believe him so he added holding up his hands, "Cross my heart, hope to give up women! I didn't!"

Despite the fact that she was peeved, that made her have to bite the inside of her cheek so she wouldn't laugh. "Well if you didn't, then who?" Taking a quick glance around, her eyes landed on the only other person that she could think of that would have signed her up then stormed over to where he was watching the stage. "Jebb! You did it, didn't you? I'm not going up there."

"Why not? You were great in Mobile last year."

"I only did it then for a couple of reasons. A) It was for charity. B) I did it on a dare. C) I'd known most those people for a couple of years-"

"D) You've known me for years," Jebb added with a grin.

"E) I'm beginning to wish I haven't." She answered in a huff. Looking around, Kira saw that people were waiting on her. Reluctantly, she headed up to the band stand as she did her best to calm her nerves. Once at the microphone she looked directly at Jebb before beginning to speak. "Before I start, I'd like to invite ya all to the wake of the soon to be late Jebb Stewart Duke. Never let it be said that he died a WISE man." Kira paused as a few laughs went out at Jebb's (and her own) expense. "Well, I guess I should say that this song could never be done as well as Dottie West does it, but since I've been VOLUNTEERED, I guess I'll give it my best shot."

With that Kira started to sing _A Lesson in Leavin'_ with just enough sass that made everyone who was listening to forget the fact that she hadn't wanted to go up in the first place. When Kira left the stage, she walked over to Jebb and spoke quietly but harshly to him. Bo tried to get over to them fast enough to over hear what his sister would say to their blond cousin, but by the time he reached them both were silent. Kira still looked annoyed with Jebb while he was just grinning at the reaction he'd gotten from his fiery-tempered cousin.

Walking up to Jebb, Bo clapped him on the back as he went to say, "Better you than me. I actually considered pulling that same stunt but thought better of it. Want to share with the class just what she said to ya when she came over?"

"Nope. She'll get over it though. She just inherited one minor flaw that most Dukes don't get a fair share of. Modesty. She doesn't think she's any good at it is all. As far as the stunt goes, I kind of thought that you DID sign her up when I saw the two of ya'll talking before you went over to sign up on that sheet."

Grinning, Bo just said, "Why bother when she can get mad at you instead of me? It's nice to not be the one stickin' my foot in my mouth for once."

Both men laughed as they saw Kira had nearly gotten out of sight before they both decided to follow her. With any luck, the two of them will have the red-headed Duke laughing and joking around again in no time.

* * *

A short time later Kira had indeed forgotten the incident with Jebb and had once again had begun to enjoy herself at the festival. Making her way to a huge bulletin board, Kira saw that this must have been the project that Daisy had been working on last weekend. Scanning the board, it must have had hundreds of pictures on it. There were baby pictures of nearly everyone in town posted on it. And of course, Kira wouldn't know any of them but some of them were funny enough to look at anyway.

_'Thought I'd find ya here.'_

Kira turned around to spot Bo walking over. He was still several feet away when he had seen Kira at the **Who's who** game. The game that Daisy had been digging through pictures for this time last week that had turned the world upside down. Not that he'd want it right-side up no more. But looking at the board, he had mixed feelings about it all the same.

_'Eventually anyway.' _

With so many people around, Bo didn't really want to be over heard so he fell back on to his and Kira's link instead of speaking. Luke had pointed out to him that he and Kira seem to do that a lot already, though he hadn't really noticed until after Luke said something about it.

Kira turned and saw Bo eying the pictures. She didn't have to say what she'd been thinking. He'd been thinking the same thing too. Not really sure of what to say, Kira just didn't say anything. After a few moments, she heard Bo curse under his breath. Following Bo's gaze on the board, Kira saw what he had.

"He's goin' ta kill her."

Kira looked at the picture that had drawn Bo's attention. She recognized the young child in the photograph as being none other than Luke Duke. Looks like Daisy was good to her word. Luke hadn't helped her find a picture to his liking so she used the one that had been found of him as a toddler right after he had been given a bath.

Laughing, Kira leaned into Bo before saying, "I'd defend em. I'd say it's justifiable."

That got Bo to laughing too until he looked back and saw Luke was coming their way. "Uh oh. I think we'd better see if we can keep him from coming over and seein' this."

Looking to Kira, they both did their best not to laugh as they approached Luke and turned him as they walked with him, one on each side. Kira slipped her arm through Luke's and Bo tossed an arm across Luke's shoulders.

"Hey Luke, you already runnin' from Becky Ann? I thought we'd be lucky to see you again before preachin' tomorrow. What's wrong, can't keep up with her no more in your old age."

Kira grinned as he ribbed Luke. Though it wasn't strictly because of Bo's antics. The way those two interacted was a class act. Worthy of any stage. And it appeared that they were succeeding in leading Luke AWAY from the pictures.

Luke looked back and forth between his cousins as Bo continued to kid him. Truth be told, Becky Ann's brothers showed up and hadn't been too happy to find their baby sister with one of the infamous Duke Boys. He couldn't read Kira as well as he'd like yet but he could definitely tell that Bo was up to something. He couldn't really figure out what. He had been coming to find them to see if they'd had enough when he found them over at the ... **GUESS WHO'S WHO GAME**! She wouldn't. Luke turned around so fast that Bo and Kira hadn't been able to stop him.

Luke ran over to the board and before the twins caught up to him they heard, "DAISY! DANG IT!"

Luke went off in search of Daisy as he ignored the eruption of laughter from the two cousins behind him. As Luke went in search of Daisy, the remaining two cousins came over to find out just what he was now going on about. Showing Judd and Jebb, Bo explained that had actually been the first picture that Daisy and he had kidded Luke over last week and that Daisy HAD warned him.

"Just how did you avoid the same embarrassment, Bo?" Judd asked still smirking at his older brother's baby picture on display to the whole town to see, protected by a plate-glass covering.

"Simple, I gave her a picture to use." Bo pointed to the picture he'd handed Daisy. It was the photo that had been hidden in the brown envelope for more than two decades.


	12. Making Plans for Christmas

**Chapter 12: Making Plans for Christmas**

* * *

"Come on, Kira. Ya gotta come back down next weekend. We'll all be startin' in on the holiday preparations. You don't want to miss that, do you?" Daisy had picked up the argument where the fellas left off.

"Sorry, Daisy. I promised Sam that we'd go out next weekend. I don't intend to break my promise." Then Kira added with an evil grin, "Course, I told the fellas that they're more than welcome to tag along. Though I just can't picture these two going to the ballet."

Daisy choked on her breakfast as she got the image of any of her cousins duded up to attend the ballet, then being bored stiff for hours as they were trapped there. "So this Sam fella must be special. Why don't 'cha bring 'em along."

This time it was Bo's turn to choke, which earned him some odd glances. "Daisy, Sam is the judge's fourteen year old daughter that she told ya'll about her first night here." Bo croaked out before taking a sip from his milk to help the eggs down that had gotten caught in his throat.

"Oh."

"Plus I told her that I'd take her skating if she aced her next Science test. So I may or may not be doing that, too, next weekend. Look, I promise that I'll be back on the fourteenth. According to my date book, I don't have any cases scheduled the next day. So after work on that Thursday, I can drive in and not have to leave 'til Sunday. Then I'll be back for Christmas, too."

"One thing to be grateful for," Bo said after setting his milk down. "We get to save on long distance charges. No need for the phone."

"Just don't _call_ while I'm in court. That could cause problems."

Looking up, she saw Judd was looking at her and Bo confused, as was Jebb. Oops. Looking over at Jesse, she wondered how they were going to explain this to them. It had been decided not to tell the whole family about her's and Bo's link. Coy and Vance knew since they both were here when Kira arrived. The older family members may suspect, but they didn't know for sure. But here she and Bo (Bo first she thought to herself) just spilled the beans over breakfast.

_'Now how are we going to EXPLAIN THIS!'_

Bo realized what he'd let slip and glanced Jesse's way as well. "It's alright you two. We might as well fill these two in. Judd should know anyway since his daddy was involved, too."

Jesse poured himself another cup of coffee as he filled his two nephews in on the fact that Kira and Bo shared the same unusual ability that their father shared with Luke's and Judd's father. Of course those two didn't quite believe it. Before the family loaded up to head on in to church, the two split the twins up to test what they been told. Judd took Bo out and tested them by having him pass a message on to Kira then had her tell Jebb. When Jebb and Judd compared notes, they just stared at the twins as they tried to process just what this could mean. By the time they all loaded up in the vehicles to head to town, Jebb and Judd's heads were spinning from the effort of trying to grasp this new family secret.

* * *

Kira had just gotten on the road back to Atlanta. She hated having to leave out before her two cousins but she still had work that needed to be done before she headed into court the next morning. So as soon as she had finished lunch, she said her goodbyes to her brother, cousins, and Uncle. That alone took at least twenty minutes. Strange how it had never taken her that long to leave anywhere before. Kira guessed it was because she never really had left anything or anyone behind that she hadn't wanted to. True, she'll be back, and soon. Judd would be back for Christmas too. This holiday season promised to be like one she'd never experienced. She also saw a very interesting life ahead of her as a Duke. So sure that adventure would be waiting for her every time she made her way back to Hazzard.

Nearing the county line, Kira turned on her radio and as expected, the station had begun to play all Christmas music. White Christmas was winding down and went straight into the next song. A song that until now she never had really cared for. Listening to the song, she heard it in a whole new light. On an impulse, Kira grabbed the portable CB that Jesse had insisted that she put in her truck since she hadn't had one installed. Pressing the mic. the whole county was treated to her unusual goodbye via the radio as the song played over the airways.

* * *

_**Two Weeks Later**_

* * *

Kira was just packing up for the day when she looked up to a surprise visitor.

"Jebb? What are you doin' in Atlanta?"

Kira asked her blond cousin. Funny how this time last year they didn't know that they were related. Now, the family resemblance was a bit obvious. Okay, not in looks. Kira had red hair, was just under five foot and ten inches and wasn't exactly pencil thin like Daisy. She really didn't look like any of the Dukes, but she definitely seemed to have the Duke attitude and spirit.

"I had to come in for my once a year sit down with the parole board. Figured since I was in town, I'd come over. Check up on ya."

"You mean you're lookin' for a reason NOT to go home to Placid County just yet and figured I'd be a good excuse." Kira grinned at Jebb as she spoke. Now that she'd met Pauline, she fully understood why he always dawdled after races so he wouldn't have to go home. He loved his mother but she was a bit over-bearing. "Hate to tell ya this, but I ain't gonna be much help. I'm suppose to head to Hazzard as soon as I get finished here. Or did you forget?"

"Dang. You know she did it. Mom actually invited that girl over. Now both of them think that we hit it off great. I wouldn't be surprised to go home to find that they're looking over china patterns." Jebb ran his hands through his hair in frustration.

"And being the good son, you couldn't just say no to it all, huh? If you're not careful, you're gonna find yourself married to a girl your momma picked out for ya."

Looking at her old friend, she had to have sympathy on him. She reached into her desk drawer and she grabbed the spare set of keys she kept there and tossed them to Jebb. "But if you just need a place to hide out, you can crash at my place. I won't be back 'til Sunday."

Jebb caught the keys and pocketed them. "Thanks. If I didn't know that everyone wants to spend sometime alone with ya in Hazzard, I'd be goin' down there, too."

Kira smirked as she looked at Jebb. She'd seen him get into fights (and win most) with men three times his size but he just couldn't stand up to his mother. Of course from what Kira saw over Thanksgiving, few people stood up to Pauline. Though her brother and cousins seemed to enjoy watching her give Pauline a mouthful a couple of times over the holiday.

"You know that you could still go. No one would mind." Jebb just shook his head at her. Thanksgiving hadn't really given his cousins and uncle a chance to really talk to and get to know one another. They all needed this weekend without outside interruptions. "Well if your sure. I've got to get out of here and get to the bank before I head out." Kira grabbed her messenger bag up and headed out the door.

Jebb tossed an arm around her before saying, "I'll walk ya out. It'll give Tanya something to talk about."

Kira eyed him as she knew that Tanya, the legal aid that made a play at every man who walked in the doors, had been upset that thus far Jebb had always turned her down. Jebb preferred to be the Chaser; not the Chasee. Kira hadn't yet told anyone that she and Jebb now knew that they are related. Watching the two of them walking out together would definitely rub Tanya raw. Laughing, Kira and Jebb left the office.

* * *

Kira crossed the county line into Hazzard and tried once again to call to Bo. The last she heard from him that morning before court, he was sick. Doc Appleby had said it was the flu. She told him that at least if he was going to get sick over the holidays, it was better to get sick now rather than later. He should be better before Christmas, even if he does have to lay out some of the pre-Christmas activities. He hadn't liked the idea of being sick at all. Something told her that he wasn't a very good patient either.

Kira promised that she'd be in tonight and she hadn't heard from him since. The flu must really be taking it out of him if he didn't want to talk. She knew it was late, but she reached for the portable CB that Jesse had insisted that she keep in the truck. He had wanted to know the moment she hit the county line. She supposed that the insistence was from years of watching over the others all these years.

"Phoenix to Shepherd, ya got your ears on?" Kira waited through the silence for a few moments before trying again. "Phoenix to Lost Sheep, ya out there? What about you Bo Peep?"

Again, silence. Well, it was late, but surely some one would have waited up for her. Kira continued her drive to the farm to find it dark. No lights on at all. Well, she thought to herself. This was a farm and everyone has to get up early. Pulling her truck up beside The General Lee, Bo and Luke's orange stock car, Kira went on in and headed to the guest room that Daisy had promised to have ready for her. Leaving her bag for the weekend by the door to the bedroom, Kira fell into bed figuring that she would just talk to everyone in the morning.

* * *

Kira woke up, early for her, but still late by farm standards. She headed out to the kitchen expecting to find at least three of the four Dukes at the breakfast table. Instead the house was as silent as a tomb. Confused, Kira hollered out for them, only to receive no reply. Heading out to the barn, figuring that the morning chores must have taken longer with Bo being sick, Kira went out to look for Luke. Inside, the animals seemed to act in distress as if no one had been in to tend to them yet.

Alarm bells ringing in her head, Kira raced back inside and began to search the bedrooms as she went. Daisy's was empty with the bed neatly made. The fellas room, too, was empty. Bo's bed still in a disarray (to be expected of someone who wasn't suppose to be OUT of bed) while Luke's was made with military crispness that had been drilled into him during years of service in the Marines. Jesse's room, too, was neat and orderly with no sign of the eldest Duke.

Checking back outside, Kira saw all three vehicles parked in their customary spots in the yard. By now, Kira was past being worried. Knowing that Bo was sick, Kira called the only hospital in the area. Doubting that she'd find her family there since Jesse's truck, Dixie, and The General Lee were here. As she suspected, there was no sign of them at the hospital. After a moment, Kira called her apartment in Atlanta, hoping that Jebb was still there. After a couple of rings, her machine kick in.

"Jebb, if your there, CALL THE FARM. NOW!" Kira hung up quickly and waited for the phone to ring. Fortunately, she only had to wait a few moments.

On the first ring, Kira picked up, "Duke farm. Kira speaking. This had better be Jebb."

_"It is. What in tarnation is wrong?"_ Jebb heard something in Kira's voice that he hadn't ever heard before. Panic and a touch of fear.

"Please tell me that there would be a LOGICAL explanation for all the vehicles to be here at the farm but not a soul with them. From the looks of things, it doesn't look like anyone has been here since sometime yesterday."

_"Are you sure? Uncle Jesse and them would never go off and leave the farm unattended."_

"I'm sure." Before going on, she remembered what she had been told about how the operator LOVED listening in on calls. "I tried calling them all on the CB and _EVERYTHING_ only to get no reply."

Kira hoped that Jebb would understand the _everything_ part. That was the part that really worried her. That Bo still hadn't responded to her. If he had, she'd know where everyone was. On the other end of the line, Jebb let out a breath as he tried to think of a GOOD reason for the farm to have been left abandoned.

Cursing under his breath, Jebb suddenly replied. _"Surely Boss wouldn't have anything to do with this. I know he's always coming up with new schemes to try to jilt Jesse out of the farm, but..."_ Kira saw red as she thought of the possibility of Hogg having done something to her only recently found family. _"Listen, I'm coming down to help ya look for them. Hopefully this is just one of Boss's bad plans to keep the mortgage from being paid today."_

"Alright. I hope you're right. I think I'll go pay a visit to Hogg. See if he's hiding anything. Hurry, okay." Kira hung up the phone. It was still too early to head into town so she went out to the barn instead. She had watched Bo and Luke handle some of the evening chores when she had been here last. They had even had fun showing her, (a city girl) how to milk the goats. She knew that the animals couldn't wait for her to find the others. So out she went. Not all the chores might get done, and some might get done wrong, but that had to be better than none getting done at all.

* * *

A couple of hours later, Kira was pulling up at the bank as she saw Hogg leave and head over to the courthouse. She fully intended to speak with him but she had one thing to do first. Climbing out of her pick-up, Kira walked on into the bank. Now thankful to her decision to bring extra cash to open an account here in Hazzard just in case she needed it. Well, now she'll need it. Once inside, a mild-mannered small man with glasses greeted her from the teller's desk. She informed him that she was there to open an account since she planned to spend a lot of time in Hazzard with her family. After showing two forms of I.D. (her license and her Bar Association card) her new account was all set up. Kira deposited half of the money she'd brought with her. Once finished, the man asked her if there was anything else she needed.

"Actually, there is. You see, my brother is sick with the flu so I figured it be best if I came in with the mortgage payment before I saw him. You know, just in case he's still contagious. I'm sure no one would want to catch the flu so close to Christmas just because you accepted the payment. So while I'm here, I'll pay the mortgage for the Duke farm as well."

With that, Emery Potter snapped his head up. He had heard the rumors that Bo had a sister. Even heard that she was a lawyer. And here she was. So taken by surprise at meeting Bo's twin, he forgot all about Boss's orders to be called if any of the Dukes came in before the mortgage payment was made. Settling business, Kira accepted the receipt and headed out.

Now with the mortgage payment made. Kira walked into the courthouse in search of Boss. A Deputy was sitting at his desk working on some sort of paperwork when she walked in. Asking to see Boss, the Deputy pointed her towards a door without a second thought. Obviously, he was used to strangers coming in off the street in search of Hogg. Walking into the office, Kira silently locked the door behind her before letting her presence known. Stepping up to the desk, Kira leaned down knowing that J.D. had yet to realize that he was no longer alone in the room.

"Hello Hogg."

Boss jumped at the words as he looked up. "How'd you get in here?"

Smirking, "It IS a public building. I WALKED in. I want to talk to you. Seems that when I got into town, I was met by an abandoned farm."

"Now if you have problems with those no account Dukes, I ain't got nothin' to do with it. I-"

"Careful, HOGG. I find the farm abandoned on the VERY day that YOU would benefit from it. Seems you gain control of the farm if they're not able to make a certain mortgage payment by three o'clock today."

"That don't mean I had anything to do with them Dukes not being home."

Kira watched his eyes. He wasn't surprised to learn that the Dukes wouldn't be coming to town today, but there was a guarded look in them.

"Well, I just came in to assure you that despite the others not being around, you'll still get your money. The mortgage is already safe and sound in your bank." Hogg's eyes went wide upon hearing this. Instead of the anger she had expected to see in his eyes at his plans being foiled, she saw fear and panic. "Now, I will ask you this only ONCE. Do you know where my family is?"

J.D.'s eyes darted back and forth as if looking for a way out. Sweat had began to bead on his bald head as he stammered. "I don't. I swear. I don't know where they are."

Kira leaned in close enough to smell the remnants of Hogg's breakfast, making Kira GLAD she had skipped hers. Certain that if she hadn't it would have been making a return visit just now. "You better pray I find them then. Cause if I don't before I can file a missing persons report, I'll be calling the state police after the forty-eight hours are up. Not the two-bit force that you've bought to run Hazzard."

With that she walked over to the door, putting her sunglasses on, and stormed out of the courthouse. Kira headed back to the farm, not really knowing where to start looking alone, to wait for Jebb. Since she had skipped breakfast, Kira went ahead and made some lunch for her and Jebb. Forcing herself to eat, she waited restlessly while she continued to try to get Bo to respond to her with no luck.

* * *

"What about that story Jesse told us over lunch before you headed back to Atlanta after Thanksgiving? Think you could give that a shot to see if you could do the same thing?" Jebb said while he pondered the fact that despite the fact that this old warehouse was the sixth place that they had checked so far, they had yet to find any clues as to where the missing Dukes were.

Kira thought on his suggestion. Jesse had explained that once, her father had run off the road in a snow storm on a 'shine run. The snow had been coming down so hard that the few cars that had driven by had never seen the car in the ditch. When he hadn't come back from the run, her uncle had gone in search of his bother. Somehow, he had been able to go straight to the scene of the accident and brought an unconscious Duke home. When asked how he knew where to go, he just said he just knew. Not much help there for her now.

"I wouldn't know where to start. I used to be able to see what Bo was seeing and hear what he was hearing on occasion, but it was like we each had a connecting door between us. It only worked when we BOTH opened our doors at the same time. I can't reach Bo at all. If I could, I'd at least be able to see his surroundings. But right now, I got nothing."

Jebb shook his head, since he was just as lost as to where to look next as his cousin. It still was so strange to think that she and Bo were connected on the psychic level. He had always considered that sort of thing a bunch of hogwash. Apparently not. He and Judd had even tested the twins when they learned of their link. Various possibilities ran through his head of what HE would do if he could. The possibilities were endless.

"Well, I hate to tell ya this, but we're gonna have to call it a night. We ain't had daylight in hours and we still have to take care of the animals."

Kira hung her head knowing that Jebb was right. Knowing it, though, didn't make it any easier to accept. The others have already been missing for one night, starting on their second. Plus, she knew Bo was sick. So even if Luke was working on a _hair-brained scheme_ as Daisy had put it, Bo wouldn't be able to help him with it. It was up to Jebb and her to find them. And fast.


	13. Preparations

**Chapter 13: Preparations**

* * *

After the two cousins tended to the animals and reheated some leftovers for supper, Kira moved her things up to the attic. She left the guest room for Jebb and was more than willing to retreat to the small sanctuary that Luke had created for her back during Thanksgiving. Both she and Jebb decided to turn in early to get an early start the next morning in finding the missing Dukes.

Deciding to sleep and actually doing it though, are two different things. After getting tired of lying in her bed up in the attic with sleep refusing to come, Kira sat alone in front of the fire in the living room staring into the flames. As the flames licked at the logs, Kira felt an almost hypnotic effect fall over her. Sitting before the fire, Kira felt her surroundings slowly shift around her.

* * *

_The air smelled stale. Musty. The smell of dirt and clay engulfed Kira. Much as it had when she and Jebb had searched the old Indian caves. Standing here in the darkness, Kira tried to orient herself. She was in a tunnel of some kind. A cave, maybe. Hearing voices down the corridor, Kira moved in their direction. It seemed to take forever before she reached the sources of those voices. The cave opened wider and she stepped into the dim light put off by a small lantern. In that light, her eyes first fell upon Luke. Hands and feet bound as he sat leaning up against a dirt wall. His eyes watching a pair of heavily armed, burly men that were sitting at a makeshift table playing cards. _

_Luke seemed to be keeping watch as the others slept in the same awkward position that Luke sat in. Except for Bo. He was some feet away, unconscious and unbound. Kira tried to walk closer to her family but found that for some reason, her feet would no longer respond to her desire to move. Instead, she was forced to remain where she was and try to listen for further clues as to where her family was. _

_The card players were murmuring in hushed tones and kept glancing at their captives. Obviously, they were the topic of the conversation that Kira could not hear from where she stood. What ever the men were saying, it appeared that Luke COULD hear, even if Kira couldn't. _

_Luke narrowed his eyes at one of the men and was trying to look as menacing as a man could while being bound by his hands and feet. Looking closer at Luke, it was obvious that he had not allowed himself to be taken without a fight. Ugly bruises marked his face along with a split lip. His wrists were rubbed raw from where he had fought the ropes that impeded his escape. _

_One other tell that Kira saw while looking at Luke, was that it must have been very cold in this place where the Dukes were held. Despite that fact that Luke showed no outward signs of the chill, his breaths were released in small puffs that spoke of the temperature of the cave, even if Kira could not feel it herself._

_"I need to check on my cousin again." Luke demanded. He may be a prisoner, but he refused to ask for anything. Being denied was not an option. Bo had been far too still for far too long. His cousin was always full of restless energy. Even in his sleep. Never able to bear sitting still for more than a few brief moments at a time. Seeing his best friend and Blood Brother lying motionless for hours at a time sent terror into his very heart and soul._

_"Why? He ain't moved in hours. Finally stopped gettin' sick. 'Bout time, too."_

_"That's WHY I need to check on 'em." _

_It was true. Bo hadn't even thrown up since before lunch. That had been the water that they had allowed Jesse to give Bo. He couldn't even hold that down. Jesse had tried to get the men to bring him so more water so he could try to use it to cool Bo's fever or more blankets to fight off the chilled air of the underground tunnel. Instead, Jesse had been denied the chance to give his youngest nephew even that amount of comfort. Now Luke was left watching as even the fever no longer provoked his cousin into movement. Something was wrong. Even Bo's breathing had changed. It was more shallow than it should be and wet sounding._

_"We'll let the old man check on him when he wakes up. I don't trust you." _

_Luke hung his head. He would love to argue the point that he wasn't going anywhere without the others. Instead he bit his tongue. Allowing Jesse to check on Bo was likely the best concession that he was gonna get. Looking around, he still wondered why the family had all been brought here. None of their questions had been answered after they had been brought to the old mines at gun point. _

_Looking at the men before him, just like the others that had been here earlier, Luke doubted that they even knew. They were just the hired guns. The type that asked no questions, they simply did as their boss told them to. These men also weren't the type of men that Hogg would have been able to get as his flunkies. No. These men answered to someone other than the pudgy commissioner. Luke was able to admit to himself that he and his family were in more danger than he'd confess to out loud. At this point, he saw no way that they could find their own way out of this situation._

_From the far tunnel's mouth, Kira continued to watch and take in all that she saw and heard. Committing every detail into memory. Not wanting to miss anything that might help her rescue her family._

* * *

The temperature in the house had begun to dip so Jebb got up and made his way to the living-room to check on the fire. He walked half asleep to the wood box and grabbed a few logs and then threw them on the dwindling fire. Turning to leave the living room, Jebb caught sight of Kira sitting on the couch staring into the fire-place.

"You know, you could have done that since you were already in here. Couldn't sleep?" Jebb was half way out the room when he realized that Kira hadn't answered him. "Kira?" Walking back over to Kira, Jebb saw the vacant look in her eyes. Taking her by the shoulders, he tried to get her attention. "Kira? Can ya hear me?"

After a few moments, Kira blinked her eyes and she looked around the room trying to figure out where she was.

"Jebb?"

She looked at her cousin, not sure of what had just happened. It felt so strange. She could still smell the musk of the cave even now.

"Ya alright? I came in to check the fire and found ya completely zoned out."

Biting her lip, Kira was unsure if she had just experienced a waking dream or had really seen where the others were, though just how was an unknown. "Jebb, other than the caves we searched today, are there any others in the area?"

Jebb was taken back by the question; unsure of what had triggered it. Jebb sat next to his cousin as she proceeded to describe the scene that had seemed so real to her only moments before. All the while, the thoughts of how life sure had gotten complicated since Thanksgiving ran through his mind as he tried to wrap his head around what Kira was telling him.

"Kira, that don't sound like no cave, more like a mine shaft." Kira gave Jebb a questioning look as he spoke. "Like the old silver mines. Some of them are actually under Duke land."

"Well, where better to hide a family than on their own land?" Kira stood and started for the door as Jebb grabbed her wrist to stop her.

"Hold on, aren't ya forgettin' something. It's barely two o'clock in the morning. It's pitch dark outside. We ain't gonna be able to see nothin' if we go out there right now. You clearly ain't slept yet. Not to mention that there are dozens of shafts that we'll need to search and if what you saw is right, we'll be going up against ARMED men. For that, we'll BOTH need to be well rested to be sure we have our wits about us."

Kira opened her mouth to argue back, to say that she couldn't just sit here doing nothing, but she saw that Jebb was right. As much as she hated it, there wasn't anything to be done tonight. "You're right. We'll wait."

"You want ta put that in writing? You don't admit that someone else is right all too often." Jebb was just as worried as Kira about the others but he couldn't fight the urge to tease.

"Go to sleep Jebb." Kira pushed at him for his small joke. "I'll see ya in the morning." Kira said as she shook her head at her grinning cousin.

* * *

The next morning Jebb found Kira asleep still in the living-room where he had left her during the night. Instead of waking her, he headed on out to take care of the morning chores and gather various supplies that he figured that they would need if they were going to comb the mine shafts today for the missing Dukes. He hadn't been to the mines since he was little playing with his cousins. During that time, each of the young Dukes practically memorized the layout of the silver mines. They had become one of their favorite places to play since it was a forbidden playground; especially for himself and Bo. They seemed to be the more daring of the Dukes. And that was saying something. None of the Dukes ever shied from a little bit of danger. It usually would entice them instead. Now years later, here he was, preparing to search for his family who were in REAL danger. Not the kind of danger that he would go in search of as a child.

Inside, Kira woke with a start. She had hoped that she would wake up to find that everything so far had just been a bad dream. No such luck. She got up and got ready for the day. Kira had just secured a strap around her ankle and grabbed her small knife that she had once kept in her boot on a regular basis back when she had lived on the streets. She rarely carried it now as an adult, though she would at least keep it handy in her truck. She may usually fight her battles in a court of law now-a-days, but it hadn't been too long ago that everyday had been a fight just to survive. There are somethings that you never really forget. No matter how hard you try. Now it was time to take the knowledge that she had learned to good use.

Heading back down to the kitchen, Kira put together some food for breakfast as Jebb finished up and came inside. Over the morning meal, the two discussed various plans of what they might be able to do once they found the others. One thing was for sure. They were going to have to find a way that the others would be able to help in their own rescue. First though, they had to find them. Just before heading out, Jebb stopped and scrawled a note and put it on the table. Ignoring Kira's questioning gaze, he then headed over to the CB.

"Racin' Fiend to Deputy Strate, ya got your ears on?"

_"Deputy Strate here. Jebb! I didn't know you was in Hazzard. What cha' need good buddy?"_

"This was a bit of an unplanned visit. Could you do me a favor? Could you come out after you're off duty this evening?"

_"Sure thing. I can come out now if you want."_

"No, this evening will be fine. Just come on in the back door when you get here. I'll explain when you get out here."

_"Will do. Catch ya later."_

Answering Kira's unspoken question, Jebb said, "This way, If something happens, someone'll know where we're at. At least in the general area and WHY?"

Kira nodded her understanding and wondered why she hadn't thought of it herself. Usually she was always so methodical, but it seemed that lately, she had begun to act on impulse and emotion. Kira guessed that her brother was beginning to rub off on her.


	14. The Rescue

**Chapter 14: The Rescue**

* * *

Jebb and Kira each drove out in separate vehicles. That way, if they did find the lost Dukes, they could sweep them away as quickly as possible. Jebb drove The General Lee, knowing that a quick getaway would be needed once they got the others free. Kira drove her truck since getting Bo into the stock car would present a problem with him obviously being so sick. Her truck had a HEMI in it so, while it couldn't stay on par with The General, it still could run a fair race if need be.

The search of the tunnels below the Duke farm was slow and grueling. Jebb thought on how exciting going down to the old mines had been as a child and how different things seemed now as an adult. He saw and heard things that his childhood self never would have. He saw the evidence of previous cave-ins and heard the tell-tell signs of impending ones. As he and Kira headed to the next mine shaft that fit the description of the one Kira saw, in what Jebb could only call a vision, he saw fresh tracks in the dirt. Pulling off the small path (it really couldn't be called a road) Jebb got out of the orange stock car to get a closer look. Kira followed suit and saw, for the first time in two days of searching, that they just may have found their first clue.

Leaving the vehicles hidden in the brush, the two set out on foot towards the mine shaft. Creeping closer, they saw four men standing at the mouth of the shaft talking animatedly. Kira wished that they could get closer to hear them but knew that they would be pushing their luck.

After a couple of moments, two of the men entered the tunnel and minutes later were replaced by the two that Kira had seen the night before. After some more discussion, the two latest arrivals and one of the other men got into a dark van that was parked nearby. That left one man standing guard at the entrance to the mine shaft.

Nodding to Jebb, Kira pulled back towards the vehicles with Jebb at her heals. Once Kira was sure that they were well out of range of being over-heard, Kira stopped.

"Those two that came out of the tunnel were the two I saw last night. It looks like we'll only have to deal with three goons."

"Three goons with three GUNS, Kira. That changes the odds a little, don't ya think?"

"You got any other suggestions?" Jebb shook his head as an answer to Kira's question. "Do you remember how to get to the junction that intersects this shaft from the other entrances?"

Nodding his head, "We'll have to go to the old Hansen farm. One of the mine shafts had a cave in about ten years back. Hopefully, the other two should be alright. Come on." Jebb got back into the stock car and led the way to yet another mine shaft entrance.

Once at the entrance, the vehicles were backed into it to keep them out of sight just in case the strangers happened by and the two proceeded to brush away their tire tracks before going back into the mine shaft. Each grabbed a pack that they had brought with emergency supplies and quickly, but carefully, headed down into the heart of the underground lair that had been taken up by the sideous kidnappers. After several minutes, the cousins were able to pick up murmurings from further up the tunnel. Quietly making their way, the dim light of an old oil lamp came into view. Staying hidden behind some outcroppings of the mine and the shadows cast by the light, Jebb and Kira began to watch those that were within the junction of the four mine shafts.

After what seemed like hours. The third man who had been left outside to stand guard called to the other two. After checking to ensure that their prisoners weren't going to be able to escape, the two inner guards went to find out what the outer guard had wanted. That gave Kira and Jebb the opportunity to set their plan into motion. Kira made her way to Daisy as Jebb went over to Luke.

"Daisy, when things calm down again, ask to use the facilities. Trust me." After a hurried whisper, Kira left a confused cousin behind.

Kira fought the urge to check on Bo knowing that the guards would be back any second. If she was discovered, the plan wouldn't work. So, instead, she made her way to the mouth of the other mine shaft where she had stood the night before in her waking dream. Leaving Daisy wondering why she hadn't tried to loosen her ropes as it looked like Jebb was doing for Luke. He, too,was speaking in hurried whispers. Then as footsteps could be heard, Jebb raised his voice ever so slightly.

"Alright guys, here's the plan." Jebb began to cut away the ropes from Luke's hands knowing that there wasn't really time to free him. He just needed it to LOOK like he was freeing Luke. "First, Luke I'll need you to-"

Click.

Just as he had expected. He heard the cock of a gun just behind his head. Raising his hands in surrender, Jebb tried to catch Luke's eye to indicate that this was, in fact, part of the plan.

"Looks like we got ourselves a hero here. Them must've been your tracks that was spotted out on the road." Jebb hoped that they hadn't found the vehicles just yet. Hopefully, he and Kira had brushed away enough of the tracks once they left Duke land to keep them from going to Hansen's. "Where's the other cousin at? The one that paid that snip of a man Hogg a visit yesterday?"

"She had a call to go back to Atlanta. It's just me."

"Search him!" Bellowed the larger guard to the other.

Jebb found himself roughly being hauled upwards and frisked for weapons. They only found his buck knife that he had been using to free Luke since he had already given his cousin the other knife that he had brought with him. That knife was now safely hidden in Luke's shirt sleeve. After being searched, Jebb was tied like the others had been and the guards re-tied Luke. All the while, missing the new accessory that Luke now possessed. Next, they search the pack that Jebb had carried with him. Inside it, all that the guards found was first-aid kit, some rope, emergency food, and a light weight thermal blanket.

After searching through the pack, the smaller guard went out to tell the third guard about their new addition. With that done, it didn't take long for the guards to once again become bored watching the Duke family. Taking up their stations over at the makeshift table, the two guards began to mimic the guards of the previous night and set about to playing cards.

* * *

Meanwhile back at the farm, Enos Strate pulled his patrol car next to Jesse's truck and Daisy's Jeep. Walking up to the back door, Enos knocked as he walked on into the kitchen.

"Knock-knock, ya'll. Hope ya don't mind but Jebb said to come on in. Hello? Where is everybody?" Spying a folded piece of paper with his name on it on the table, Enos picked it up and began to read it.

_Enos, _

_If you're reading this, it means that Kira and I are gonna need your help. The reason I came to town is to help Kira find the others who have been kidnapped. We have reason to believe that they are being held in the old silver mines beneath the farm; one of the ones that have a junture to intercept the others. _

_Contact the state police and bring help, ASAP. _

_Jebb_

"Possum on a gumbush! I got get some help!"

* * *

Jesse sat beside his niece and watched as yet another nephew was tied up and wondered just how getting himself caught was supposed to help get them all out of here. There must have been some sort of logic to it. He just didn't see. He also was just as confused about just why Kira had headed to the mine shaft at the opposite side of the junction. It never ceased to amaze him at how these kids all seemed to have their own way of thinking and going about things. Like when Kira told Daisy to ask to use the bathroom.

Looking over at Daisy, Jesse figured that she must have forgotten what Kira had said to her during her brief appearance before Jebb's own capture. Leaning over, Jesse nudged Daisy ever so slightly then looked toward the shaft that Kira had disappeared into. The shaft that been converted into a makeshift restroom.

"Excuse me. I hate to be a bother, but I really need to use the little girls' room."

One of the guards looked over at Daisy as she spoke up. He knew that it was unlikely that these five would be released. His boss wasn't known for leaving witnesses. Why he had let this family live this long was beyond him. But one thing he did know, he fully intended to have a little fun while he could. Getting up, he walked over to Daisy and untied her feet and pulled her up and pushed her toward the opposite shaft.

This was Luke's signal. He slowly worked the knife out of his sleeve and began to work on his ropes as Daisy was shoved toward the makeshift latrine. Only a few moments later he heard Daisy screaming at the top of her lungs.

* * *

Just as Daisy was pushed roughly further away from the junction, the guard grabbed her and kissed her as he had her pinned up against the wall of the mine. So engrossed in his activity, he almost didn't register the sound of what could only be the cock of a gun. In fact, it was only when it was pressed to the back of his own head that the situation seemed to dawn on him.

"Let her go and don't make a sound," Kira whispered into the guard's ear. The guard raised his hands as Kira took his gun away from him and handed it to Daisy. "Start screaming, Daisy. Make it sound like you're being attacked."

Keeping her gun pressed firmly against the guard, Kira used her other hand to free Daisy using her knife that she had kept in her left boot. Once Daisy was freed, Kira had her cover the guard as she used some fishing line that she had brought with her to tie up the guard. Kira knew that the line would keep the guard from trying too hard to free himself so as not to let the line cut into his own skin.

* * *

The second guard was annoyed that his colleague had obviously decided that he wanted a little fun before this job was done. He didn't blame him really, he was just upset that he hadn't thought of it first.

"Alright, Fred, I think you've had enough fun. Get on out here. Fred! Come on!"

With that, the second guard headed into the mine shaft. Behind him, Luke had finally worked out of his binds and cut away the ropes from his ankles. Once free, he quickly cut Jebb's hands free and gave him the knife as he headed toward the mineshaft behind the guard to help the girls.

Kira had just finished tying up the second guard as she heard someone running hers and Daisy's way. Pulling her gun back out of the ankle holster, Kira saw that it was only Luke. Instinctively, Luke raised his hands at the sight of the gun. Putting her gun down, she and Daisy walked toward Luke.

"That leaves only one." The three cousins walk back into the junction as Jebb and Jesse were checking on Bo. "How is he?" Kira asked Jesse as he leaned over his youngest nephew.

"He sounds like he has fluid built up in his lungs now. His fever is still way too high, too. We gotta get him to the hospital."

"Luke, you and Jesse head the way Jebb and I came in. Take my truck and get him on to the hospital. That'll leave us The General if we need it." Luke started to look like he'd argue the point that he had a score to settle. "Bo can't wait. Please, Luke."

Looking over at Bo, he knew he wouldn't be taking the time to seek revenge. Leaning over, he hefted his cousin up and carried him down the mine shaft to the waiting vehicles with Jesse at his heals. That left Daisy, Jebb, and Kira to take care of the third guard.

* * *

"It's the cops! We got to get out of here!"

The third guard ran down the mine shaft in a panic. Once at the junction, his eyes immediately fell to the vacant wall where the captives should have been sitting. He went for his gun only to be stopped by an overly calm voice.

"Drop it, or I'll drop you." Kira walked out of the nearby mine shaft maintaining a bead on the last guard.

The guard knew that he was caught between a rock and a hard place. Cops behind him and an unknown gun-wielding woman in front of him. He would take his chance with the woman. Raising his gun to take aim, a gun shot rang out.

* * *

"I hear gunshots. This here is Deputy Enos Strate, I'm going in." Enos called into the CB then threw the mic down without waiting for a response.

Drawing his own weapon, the deputy raced to the mineshaft that he had just pulled up at. As he ran down the tunnel, he heard the moans of pain of a man growing louder. Reaching the junction, Enos was greeted by a sight that he had not expected. The woman who had come to see Hogg yesterday was holding a gun on a man who was writhing on the ground holding his right arm in agony. Coming to a halt, Enos raised his own weapon.

"Police, DROP THE GUN!"

Kira looked up to see the deputy coming her way with gun drawn. Kira flipped her gun around and tossed it, butt first, toward the deputy's feet.

"Enos! It's alright, Sugar. He was gonna shoot Kira. It was self-defense." Daisy walked over to Enos and put her hand on Enos's to lower his gun away from Kira.

Enos looked away from Kira and turned to Daisy. He was so scared for Daisy when he heard the gunshots. Here she was, safe and sound now and all he wanted was to pull her close. But he still had a job to do.

Meanwhile, Jebb had led the other two guards back into the junction. "Glad you made it, Enos. Here's two more that maybe you can take off our hands. Jesse and Luke have already left to take Bo to the Hospital."

With that, Enos looked up and saw the bound men. Outside, sirens could be heard as the state police arrived. Each of the Dukes gave their statements as to just what had happened and were released to go to the hospital to check on Bo and the others. Police officers had already been dispatched ahead of them to take Jesse's and Luke's statements as well.

When the three cousins pulled into the hospital parking lot, it was well past dark. Jebb pulled The General Lee beside Kira's truck and all three climbed out and went in search of the other three Duke Men.


	15. The Long Night

**Chapter 15: The Long Night**

* * *

Luke was in the waiting room with his uncle waiting on word about Bo. _You'd think that as often as this family spent time here that it would seem like a second home (much as Rosco's Iron Bar Hotel had become)._

Luke hated hospitals; all the Dukes did. When the state police arrived to take his and Jesse's statements about the kidnappings, it had given them something to do other than to watch the door that the doctors and nurses kept going in and out of but only temporarily. He was still watching that door, waiting for one of them to ask for the Duke family, when his cousins finally made it to the hospital. Without conversation at all, each took up their stations to keep a vigil waiting for word on the ill Duke. Shortly after midnight, a doctor finally asked for the Duke family.

"I'm looking for the family of Beauregard Duke."

"That's us. How's my cousin?" Luke rushed over and beat the others to the doctor. The whole family gathered around as the doctor began to fill them in.

"I'm afraid that we still haven't been able to bring his fever down. He is severely dehydrated, has a build up of fluid on his lungs, and it appears that he had aspirated on some of his vomit. He has developed pneumonia in both lungs as well. I'm afraid he'll be staying with us for a while. I'll have someone to come and tell you when he's been moved into a room."

Once the doctor left, the Dukes all returned to their seats to resume their waiting. Well, most of them sat down. Luke had spent enough time sitting over the last two days and had taken to pacing the waiting room much in the same way Bo usually did when he was on this side of the hospital doors.

Daisy was sitting next to Jesse as he tried to convince her that Bo would be alright. Jebb was sitting next to Kira where it appeared that she had begun to doze.

After a while, Luke joined Jebb and spoke to him in hushed whispers. Jebb explained how he and Kira had known to search the silver mines for them. About how he had found Kira zoned out in front of the fire Friday night only to learn of her strange experience of seeing the family in the mine.

Luke found it hard to believe that he and the others owed their lives to Kira and Bo's unusual bond.

* * *

_Kira was walking down the hall looking for the door to her brother's room. It still unnerved her that she hadn't been able to talk to Bo yet. Since they had found out about each other at Thanksgiving, they had begun to fall into a habit checking in with one another nearly every day (much as they had as children) or even several times a day. Now it was Sunday and she hadn't been able to speak to Bo since early Thursday morning. Being in the same building didn't seem to be helping either. _

_Finally, Kira reached a door and opened it. Inside, Bo was sleeping on a hospital bed. The room was filled with the sounds of various monitors keeping track of the rhythm of a beating heart and the slow steady breaths taken by her twin. _

_Taking the seat nearby, Kira watched as nurses came in and out as they checked on their newest patient; all the while never seeing the family member that had snuck into the ICU room to keep watch of her family member. Kira knew that she really should be in with the rest of the family. After all, she should be able to sense if there was any change with Bo. Instead, Kira stayed where she was for a little longer waiting for any sign of Bo waking up anytime soon._

* * *

Hours later, a nurse told the family that Bo had been settled into a room. They could each go in for about five minutes but then would need to wait until visiting hours the next day before seeing him again. With Luke waking the others, they each took turns checking in on Bo. Jesse then insisted that the family return home for what was left of the night.

Luke resisted of course. He didn't like the idea of leaving Bo alone. Kira was able to convince Jesse to let her stay since, later on, she would have to return to Atlanta for court the next morning.

While Luke would have preferred to stay himself, he relented and left Bo's twin to call if there was any change in his condition. Once home, Luke couldn't seem to relax. He was restless from both his worry over Bo and the fact that the last time he had been home, it had been over-run by gunmen. It still bothered him, too, that he still had no idea why the Dukes had been swiped at gun-point from their home. If he only knew why.

Luke went on up to his and Bo's room only to keep from being sent up by Jesse. Once upstairs, Luke laid down restlessly and waited for the pre-dawn hours when it would be time to get up for the morning chores. Meanwhile, the hours went by ever so slowly for Luke as he laid wide awake thinking back on the last few days.

* * *

Just as dawn began to break, Kira sensed a slight change. Looking up from her perch beside her brother, Kira watched as Bo finally began to stir.

_'Welcome back.' _She smiled as Bo's eyes were slowly peeking out beneath his long blond lashes._ 'How're you feeling?'_

_'You really want me to answer that?' _Bo groaned as he closed his eyes once more. His chest hurt just from breathing and he was still nauseous, too. After a minute, it dawned on Bo that he wasn't in his own bed. Opening his eyes again, Bo realized that he is in the hospital._ 'How long have I been here?'_

_'Only a little over twelve hours.' _Kira stopped for a few seconds before continuing,_ 'You were pretty bad off. You have double pneumonia now instead of just the flu.'_

_'How could things change that much in just a few hours?'_

_'Bo, its Sunday morning.' _Bo's eyes went big as he realized that he had missed so many days._ 'Bo, what's the last thing you remember?'_

_'Well, other than being sicker than a dog, talking to you about you coming down. Taking some sort of medicine that Doc Appleby left Wednesday when he came out. Not much after that. What did I miss?'_

_'You'll have to ask Luke what happened Thursday. When I woke up Friday, I realized no one was at the farm. I called Jebb and we spent the next two days looking for you guys. All of you were being held in one of the old silver mines. The cold air couldn't have been good on your lungs.' _

Kira saw that Bo was doing his best to stay awake. He wanted to hear more about what had happened while he was out of it. Despite his best efforts, though, his eyelids had become as heavy as lead.

_'Get some more sleep. Luke will be here when you wake up. He'll fill you in.'_ Kira sat back again as Bo drifted off.

* * *

Kira sat up in the uncomfortable plastic chair. She never would understand why the least comfortable furniture always found its way to places where people would spend the most time using them. Looking at her watch, Kira realized that she must have drifted off again. Getting up to stretch, Kira stepped outside to get some fresh air for the first time since arriving at the hospital.

Watching the first beginnings of the Georgia sunrise, Kira wondered just what had really happened to put the Dukes in such danger. Hogg knew something, even if he wasn't competent enough to actually have carried out the plan to abduct her family, he knew who had. Possibly even knew why. As soon as she could, she fully intended to make Hogg answer her questions.

After a few moments in the chilled December morning air, Kira returned to her post in the waiting room. Briefly, she considered heading to the cafeteria for something to drink but quickly decided against it. Knowing the others, especially Luke, they'd be arriving shortly. She'd get something then.

After looking at the hard uncomfortable chairs, Kira decided that it would probably be better to just remain standing. When the door opened again, a nurse came in to give a report on Bo; she said that his fever had finally broken. With that good news, Kira went ahead and called the farm. Luke had already left out for the hospital but she was able to pass the news on to Daisy who then shared it with the others. Minutes later, Luke came in.

"How's Bo. Has there been any change?" Luke asked as he quickly came over to Kira.

"The nurse came out and said his fever has finally broken. I called the farm and talked to Daisy and told her and Jesse. He is also in a lighter sleep now. I promised him you'd be in there when he wakes up." The last part earned her an odd look as Luke cocked an eyebrow at her. "I got to talk to him briefly when he first came out of the deep sleep. He still hasn't woken up yet all the way, but it shouldn't be long."

"How are you holding up?" Luke asked his younger cousin as he eyed her.

"Oh I'm _fine_. I'm not the one who was kidnapped at gun point. I should be asking you that same question."

"I'm more frustrated than anything. Having more questions than answers can annoy me faster than nearly anything," Luke confessed as he ran his hand through his dark hair.

"I know Hogg knows something, I'm just not sure what. I saw that much when I spoke to him Friday."

Luke thought on that before responding. "I suppose he could have gotten involved with something and lost control of it. Boss is as crooked as a dog's hind leg, but he's never intentionally hurt anyone. And this wouldn't be the first time that things have spiraled out of control after he set things in motion."

"It sounds like you're defending Hogg. After everything that he has put you and the others through over the years, how can you stand there and try to figure out how he ain't responsible?" Kira said in disgust.

"I just know Boss is all. He is crooked and greedy, but he'd never want anyone hurt."

Kira looked at Luke trying to understand how he could have such faith in a man who seemed to take great pleasure in creating an unending string of heartache for the Duke family. Personally, she had no love lost on the man and fully planned to learn to what extent Hogg's involvement was. Before Kira could voice such thoughts, a nurse returned and informed the cousins that one of them could sit with Bo.

Luke went off to sit with Bo and Kira headed off to the cafeteria in search of some breakfast still thinking on the fact that the other Dukes seem to trust their commissioner despite the fact that he seem completely untrustworthy.

* * *

Kira returned to the waiting room shortly after her brief breakfast just as the rest of the Dukes arrived at the hospital. Jesse and Daisy headed straight to Bo's room as Jebb remained behind to talk to Kira.

"How is he?" Jebb asked after the other Dukes left him and Kira alone.

"Better this morning. He's awake and talking to Luke. I think Luke's gonna be the only one that will be able to keep Bo in that bed, though. As soon as he woke up, he started trying to get up so he could go home. I heard one nurse actually threatened to have him tied to the bed if he didn't stop gettin' up. He's totally ticked about missing days, but if anyone'll calm Bo down, it's Luke."

"Yep, Luke's been doin' that for years. For as long as I can remember. They've always been just like brothers, them two," Jebb said with a chuckle.

"See what you missed by only having sisters in Placid."

Kira knew that at times, Jebb had felt cheated by only having sisters. One older, then there were the twins that came along when he was a teenager. He was the only boy in a house full of women with only his father to help balance the house out.

"You could have had to have filled Luke's role in your own right and had to keep a wild-eyed brother under control." Kira winked at Jebb as he snorted at the suggestion.

"Then I'd been in trouble. What with the trouble I always seemed to find on my own, not to mention when I come to Hazzard. Bo and I were a deadly pair. I'm not sure at times if Luke wished I hadn't visited by the end of all them summers. Instead of being on probation now, I'd probably be in the state penn. if'n I was responsible for a brother, too."

"And a shame that'd be too. Look on the bright side, we might have still met. Just not on the track. I could have been assigned as your lawyer."

Jebb made a face as he though of the possibility. Not sure he would have gotten along with Ms. Kyle, Public Defender half as well as he'd gotten along with her on the Motor-Cross race circuit. While she'd come to the sport later than the other drivers, she had demanded and earned respect from the other drivers right from the start. Sometimes it was still hard to realize that the two were the same person. Even after of all these years of racing along-side Kira.

"Umm, yeh. And the bright side would have been what, exactly?"

Kira shrugged, "At least you'd've had a competent lawyer."

"Gee, thanks."

Jebb and Kira were still teasing and picking with one another when Jesse returned from Bo's room at the same time J.D. Hogg arrived at the hospital. The pudgy commissioner made his way over to Jesse when he saw him.

"Oh, Jesse. I just heard about Bo. I'm truly sorry. And don't you worry his hospital bill. I'll have the whole thing sent to me."

"That's right ki-"

"That won't be necessary Hogg. I'll take care of my brother's bill. You'll have to find some other way to salve your guilty conscience," Kira boomed as her eyes flashed at the sight of the man responsible for her family's kidnapping. Even if only indirectly.

Before Jebb's eyes he saw Kira transform from the old friend that he'd spent the last hour picking around with into the cold, frigid even, lawyer who was rumored to have ice in her veins.

Kira walked over to Boss and began to speak to him in a tone so low that he couldn't hear her. Something that she usually only did when she was angry. He knew that Kira felt that Hogg had been behind the kidnapping, and in some way, he might have had a part in it. But right now, Jebb was glad that he wasn't in Boss's shoes.

Jesse was closer than Jebb and while he could only catch a word or two that went astray, he could tell that Kira was trying to get J.D. to tell her exactly what his part in the kidnapping had been. And whatever she was saying to him, it was causing his frienemy to cast about the room with a look of true fear reflecting in his eyes.

"Kira," Jesse called to her in the tone that usually made his boys stop and take notice. No matter how angry they were. He had used that same tone many of times to get his boys to back down while angrily facing the commissioner over one misdeed or another, especially Bo. "That's enough."

Bo's twin, however, ignored the patriarch as she grilled the crooked politician in white. Finally, Boss seemed to give in and tell her what she wanted. Jesse heard J.D. croak out a single word.

"Townsend."

"What!" At last, Jesse could clearly hear Kira's response. With that, Kira moved closer to the bald man and pinned him up against the wall without even touching him.

Jesse saw Boss look to him has if asking for help. "Kira! I said that's enough."

He'd always been able to rein in the younger Dukes before. No matter what he'd ever done, or what had come as a result of his actions, Jesse Duke could always be counted on to strap a leash on his kids once tempers flared. But for once, it looked like Jesse couldn't help Boss escape the burning rage of a Duke; because this Duke hadn't been raised with the others. While she respected the eldest of the family, he was still very much a stranger to her in most aspects. Not to mention she had no upbringing to push her to obey anyone. So now Jefferson Davis Hogg looked into a Duke's eyes that reflected utter hatred and for the very first time he could remember, he was truly scared of a Duke.

Jebb looked on and saw as his uncle repeatedly tried to calm Kira down. Not wanting the situation to escalate any further, he walked over and firmly put a hand around Kira's arm. When she stiffened and looked at him, he'd half expected Kira to take a swing at him. Instead, she turned her gaze back to Boss for one last verbal jab.

"One more thing, Hogg. Know this. If by some cruel twist of fate, you one day do succeed in taking the farm. I promise you I'll bury you in so much litigation that the only thing you'll ever be able to use that property for is as a landmark."

With that, Kira shook Jebb's hand off her arm and stormed out of the hospital; leaving two Dukes and one Hogg staring after her in baffled confusion in regards to her outburst.

* * *

Kira returned to the hospital a while later after she got her temper back under control. She figured that Hogg would be gone by now. Plus she really wanted to see Bo before she had to head out, too. Walking into Bo's room, she found Luke reading a Mopar magazine while Bo was sound asleep once again in his hospital bed. It figured that he'd be asleep when she really needed to leave. Kira grinned to herself at the thought. Well, at least he can't get into any trouble while asleep. Or can he?

Looking up, Luke said, "You can try to wake him if you want but I doubt you'll succeed. They gave him something to knock him out."

"That's okay. I'll just bug em later on instead." Kira gave Luke a wink letting him know just how she'd bug Bo. "I didn't see any of the others out there when I came in. They go back to the farm?"

"Yeh. Chores, ya know. Jebb called home and told his folks that he'd be helping out while Bo's here. Especially since the staff insisted that we keep someone here after he tried to leave earlier."

"And the fact that this just happens to coincide with the sleigh ride that Pauline helped arrange in Placid didn't hurt none to help Jebb make such a self-less gesture to help out. Huh? Especially since Pauline promised Mary Ellen whats-her-name that Jebb would be her date." Kira laughed as she remembered Jebb telling about Pauline's latest matchmaking ploy.

"How'd you know?"

"We had plenty of time to talk while scouring all of Hazzard looking for ya'll over the weekend. You'd better be counting your lucky stars that you and Bo live too far for her to meddle too much in ya'lls love-lives. She'd have ya both married off in a matter of months."

Luke shuddered slightly as he thought of the possibility of his aunt trying to pick a wife for him.

That only amused Kira even more. "Scary thought ain't it?"

"That ain't quite strong enough of a word for it." Luke deadpanned. "Now I can't help but be grateful for the fact that she pushed my uncle to move to Placid where her family lives."

Laughing, Kira added, "Well it looks like Pauline is settling for running her son's life for right now. Heaven help him."

"Maybe we should send him home with some special _lemonade_ from Thanksgiving to help him get through Christmas," Luke added while laughing, referring to the incident with the moonshine the last time Kira had been down in Hazzard. She had dyed the whiskey with food coloring causing the guys to all get a kick out of it when the older Dukes eyes bugged out at seeing the yellow liquid.

"Couldn't hurt. Not with Pauline around." Kira shook her head at the thought of how Jebb could have survived so long with a mother like his without going nuts. His father must be a saint is all she could figure.

"Not to change the subject here or anything, but what was that about I heard about you and Boss earlier?"

Jesse and Jebb had filled Luke in on the incident once Boss had left. Of course that was only after his uncle had calmed the commissioner down considerably after his run in with the newest of the clan.

Kira just shrugged her shoulders; she knew that despite everything that had happened, Luke would defend Hogg so there wasn't much point in getting into it over the weasel who had put her brother in the hospital with his scheming to take the farm.

"Just had a nice friendly conversation is all." After looking at her oldest cousin, she saw he was about to push further. She could tell by the look in his eyes. "Since Bo's knocked out, I should head on out. I've got court in the morning and I have to go in to go back over my statement with the police before that so it's gonna be a busy morning."

"I thought they already took your statement. They've talk to all of us. They didn't say anything about havin' to go over it again with us."

"Yeh, well, that's probably because ya'll didn't shoot anyone."

"What?" Luke shouted out, then instantly caught himself as he looked back at a drugged Bo to see if he had woken him up. Then in a quieter tone, "What do you mean? You shot someone?"

Kira shrugged her shoulders, "I figured Jebb and Daisy already told you. Don't worry; I only shot the guard's arm. And don't look at me like that. It was that or be shot myself. I don't know about you but I happen to be allergic to bullets."

"Obviously I need to talk to the others about holding out." Giving her a critical look, Luke asked, "You sure you're alright?"

Kira rolled her eyes as he asked, though a small part of her had to admit that it was nice to know someone actually cared enough to ask.

"Yeh, fine. But I really do need to get out on the road." Looking over at a sleeping Bo, Kira added, "You just keep a watch on my brother and I'll make sure yours gets in nice and safe when I pick him up at the airport Saturday."

Judd Kaine, Luke's brother, hadn't been able to get an earlier flight for Christmas; pushing his arrival to the day before Christmas Eve. Since they were both coming in from Atlanta, it made no sense for Judd to rent a vehicle and the two drive in separately so Kira had volunteered to pick Judd up at the airport.

"Sounds like a good plan to me," Luke said as he filed away the need to ask the others just exactly what had happened after he and Jesse had gotten Bo out of the mine shaft. "Keep it between the ditches, ya hear."

"Will do," Kira responded while making a hasty retreat before Luke could rethink about letting the shooting incident go. Had she known that Luke hadn't been told about it already, she certainly wouldn't have.

* * *

The week passed slowly for Kira. She met with the State Police, went over her statement enough to memorize it. Been cleared of any wrong doing. Then re-issued her small pistol, after providing the proper concealed weapons permits, and went about her life as normal as she could. Try as she might, though, she couldn't stand not doing anything about her family's kidnapping. She, of course, passed on what Hogg had told her about Townsend's involvement (of which Hogg was questioned about). Unfortunately, Hogg wasn't as dumb as he looked. He knew very well what could happen if he squealed on Townsend.

Townsend could have made Capone look like a choir boy. And since all they had was hear say, no evidence at all, it looked like William Townsend would remain officially unconnected to the case. The guards that had been captured had all clammed up, too. Even when offered a deal of leniency, they each refused to speak up about whom they worked for.

On Wednesday, Kira got Jebb when she called the farm to check on everyone. He informed her that while checking on things out in the fields, he and Jesse had found sections of the east forty torn up as if someone had been doing some digging out there recently. That got Kira to thinking. Sitting at her desk, she called Tanya in. She had a job for her.

"I want you to pull every case file you can on William Townsend and those connected. I need to look over them."

Tanya blanched at Kira. "That's a lot of cases. You mind me asking just what you need them for. You're not likely to be representing him anytime soon."

"Let's just say I'm looking for a new hobby and couldn't think of a more boring one than reading old case files, okay? I'll need as many as you can get before the end of the day. You can keep pulling them when you're not working on anything else."

Tanya was a flake when it came to her personal life but was an excellent legal aid. Kira had several files to take home with her within a matter of hours. So many in fact that it was difficult to decide on where to start.

Choosing one at random, Kira began the tedious task of scouring the old files for any clue that could point toward previous incidents such as the one that had transpired at the Duke Farm the previous week. She had known many facts of some of the past cases, but she was still surprised by some of the others that she found. With each case, Kira learned just how lucky the others were to still be alive. Kira sincerely hoped that whatever Townsend's people had been looking for out at the farm, that they had found it. She didn't want there to be any reason for there to be any return visits.

For the next couple of days, Kira set up a pattern of calling out to the farm each morning, going to court, checking in with Bo at lunch, then back to court she'd go. As soon as court let out for the day, she would spend the rest of the day (and much of the night) going over the case files that Tanya had brought her that day. She barely noticed when a meal went uneaten and sleep wasn't exactly a top priority either. In fact, Friday night, she didn't go home at all.

She must have fallen asleep sometime after two in the morning, though, still at her desk. She woke up to the growl of her stomach the next morning around eight. She hurriedly packed up her desk and went home for a quick shower, a change of clothes, and a quicker meal. Soon it was time to head out to the airport to pick up Judd. She finished packing her things together and headed out the door for her first family Christmas in Hazzard.


	16. Killer Kaine Returns to Hazzard

**Chapter 16: Killer Kaine Returns to Hazzard**

* * *

Kira sat in a plastic chair that reminded her a little too much of the ones that had been at the hospital as she waited for Judd's flight to come in. It had been delayed by weather coming in from across the west. It was already an hour late as it was. She very much wanted to fidget like the kid next to her; a dark-haired boy of maybe twelve. No matter how much his mother scolded him, he just couldn't stop his need to rid himself of the excess pent-up energy he carried with him.

"Do you think he'll be here soon?" The boy asked his mother as she had tried to once again get her son to stop bouncing around.

"I don't know. Would you just sit still?" The boy's mother turned back to her magazine that she had bought with her to help kill the time the while she was waiting.

Seeing that she wasn't at all interested in talking anymore, he instead turned to Kira. "You waitin' on somebody?"

The boy's mother opened her mouth to chastise her son about bothering strangers but Kira smiled at her as she answered the boy to let her know that it was alright. After all, what else did she have to do? She couldn't exactly pull out her case files here in the airport to read and chatting with the kid was a lot better than counting the cracks in the floor.

"My cousin. How about you?"

"My dad. He is coming in from California. Ya know what? He called and said that a REAL boxer is flying in on the same flight as him. We'd seen him the last time he had a fight here in Atlanta. He's good. Don't fight dirty like some of the others neither. Dad says that proves you can be good at what you do without bein' crooked."

"Does he?"

"Yep. Ever heard of Judd Kaine? The call him _'Killer Kaine'_."

Kira smiled at the question. "I've heard of em. Haven't seen him fight though. Why don't you tell me about him?"

For the next half hour, the kid (Ricky) told Kira about boxing and how he and his dad like to go to some of the matches together. Once Judd's plane landed and as the passengers filed in from the gate, Kira went to find her cousin. Finally, she spotted him and walked over to him.

"Sorry I'm late. There was a snow storm over the Rockies."

"No problem. I came across a fan of yours. The little guy about talked my ear off talkin' about _'Killer Kaine'_. His dad was on your flight."

"Really?"

"I didn't know you were so well-known."

Laughing, Judd respond "Neither did I. You happened to run into my ONE fan."

Walking over to claim Judd's baggage, Kira nudged him. "There's your fan now with his parents."

"Guess I should go over and say hello. It's not everyday a guy finds himself a fan."

"Unless he's a Duke, you mean."

"Maybe." Judd shrugged as he heads over to the small family and gets their attention with Kira close behind. "Excuse me; my cousin said that I might would want to meet this fella over here."

"JUDD KAINE!" The kid shouted. Where Ricky's father was speechless he more than made up for it in volume. Looking behind Judd, he asked, "This is your cousin?"

Kira just smiled and shrugged her shoulders at the question. This was Judd's show and she'd enjoy just being a spectator.

"It seems you know more about me than my cousin there." Kira bit her lip to keep from laughing considering that just about anyone would know her cousin better than her right now. After all, they'd never met until a month ago. "Heard ya like to go to the matches, too."

Ricky bounced his head enthusiastically. "Uh-huh. We went the last time you were here in Atlanta."

"How'd you like to go the next time there's one here, too?"

"Really?"

"That's really nice but not necessary." Ricky's father had finally found his voice and tried to be polite though anyone looking could tell that he was just as eager to accept the offer as his son.

"Maybe so, but I'd like to do it. Consider it a Christmas present for my number one fan. Just give me your name and I'll make sure you get some tickets before the next fight."

"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!" Ricky was jumping up and down as his father was getting some paper and a pen from his wife and hurriedly scribbled his name and address down and handed it to Judd.

"We really do appreciate this."

"No problem. Now if you'll excuse me. My cousin and I have a long drive ahead of us."

"BYE!" Ricky hollered at them as they left.

"I don't think you could have done a better job at making his day if you had been wearing a red suit carrying a bag of toys." Kira looked behind her as she added, "And the kid was pretty impressed, too."

That caused Judd to laugh. "You never know just when good public relations will come in handy."

* * *

Hours later, Judd and Kira pulled into the hospital parking lot. Once they had gotten within CB range, Judd got Uncle Jesse on who then told them that Bo was scheduled to be released today but hadn't been yet. Once they reached Bo's room, their eyes were met with a collage of homemade get well cards. She had been told that the kids from the orphanage had come to sing carols to cheer Bo up. The Duke family had always been a big part of the orphanage; helping the kids out at every turn. While the kids hadn't liked the fact that Bo was in the hospital at Christmas, they all enjoyed knowing that they could do something to make the fun-loving Duke feel a little better.

Kira nudged Judd as they walked in. "I don't know Judd. I think Bo just might have gotten to where he's just a little too used to all the extra attention he's been gettin' here. He might not want to go home for Christmas."

"Cute, Kira. Real cute. We've been waitin' half the day away for a nurse to come back in here to get this danged IV out. I'm more than ready to get out of here."

"Well that thing would've already been taken out if'n you hadn't freaked out earlier." Luke smirked as Bo gave him a dirty look. "You're as bad about needles when they are trying to take them out as you are when they have to put one in. They're lucky you were out cold when you came in. They would have never of gotten it in otherwise."

Kira looked to the table and saw the evidence of the nurse's prior hasty retreat after having tried to remove the IV. Kira went and sat next to Bo and took his hand and kept talking to the others.

"Hey, I've never been fond of needles, neither," Kira said in defense of her brother.

"At least I'm not alone. What took ya'll so long?" Bo asked with a slight pout.

"That would have been the snow storm that delayed my flight. Put us back nearly two hours," Judd said as he took a seat next to Luke.

"Yeh, but at least _Killer Kaine_ got to play Santa to a kid that was so excited to meet him," Kira smirked.

Judd explained that he was going to get the kid and his father some tickets for the next fight to which Luke said that he hoped he remembered to get some for him and Bo, too. Judd went on to explain that the reason he couldn't come in for Christmas sooner was that his manager wanted him to put in some extra training.

"Didn't ya tell him that coming to Hazzard was better than staying in training? Especially when one of Boss's schemes goes haywire?" Luke had meant it as a joke but then remembered that Kira wasn't exactly very understanding when it came to Boss. He looked over to Kira but then forgot about Boss.

"Hey Bo, want to hold this for me for a second?"

Bo looked down at his hand and saw that Kira had already taken his IV out and had put a cotton ball where the needle had been. Kira grabbed the band-aide off of the table and put it over the cotton ball. "There ya go. Now, Luke, wanna call a nurse and tell em that we're ready to head out?"

"How'd you do that with out me knowin' what you were doing?" Bo look from his hand to the needle and shuddered slightly.

"I've always been too impatient to wait for a nurse to take my IV's out so I started taking them out for myself a long time ago. I guess I've had enough practice that I can practically do it in my sleep."

"That's it. Next time you're in here, Kira has to deal with the needles for ya." Luke headed out the door to find a nurse.

Within twenty minutes the four were heading out to the farm. Since Bo still wasn't a hundred percent, he had to ride in the truck instead of the General since the cold air rushing in from the windowless doors wouldn't be good on his weakened lungs. So in both vehicles, siblings rode with siblings. Judd giving Luke the third degree about what had happened a week prior after having heard about it for the first time from Kira on the drive in from Atlanta.

* * *

The next morning, the family prepared for Sunday morning service for Christmas Eve. Jesse had insisted that Bo once again should ride in the truck instead of The General since the cold air from the open windows wouldn't be good on his healing lungs. Bo was irritated but agreed, albeit reluctantly. He'd spent a whole week in the hospital and had no desire to return just because he wanted to ride in his own car. Of course the family just about didn't make it out the door at all.

When Kira had come to the kitchen dressed for church, she was wearing one of her pants suits that she would wear to court rather than a dress. Jesse insisted that it wasn't right for women to wear pants to church. He had let it go at Thanksgiving since she had come down without knowing that she needed to dress appropriately for church. Now, though, certain rules had to be laid down if he was ever going to establish any kind of hierarchy with the youngest Duke.

"I don't own any dresses. Never cared for them. Besides, if you want to get really technical, when the Bible was written NO ONE wore pants. I'll tell ya what; I'll go change into a dress just as soon as the four of you fellas do."

Daisy turned so no one would see her laugh. She remembered her own younger years when, as a tomboy, she had hated having to wear dresses. Of course she had never won that particular argument with her uncle. Now watching her newest female cousin, she felt a bit of déjà vu.

Kira definitely had a stubborn streak to her. Of course it didn't hurt that Uncle Jesse couldn't really win this time anyway since Kira didn't have an _appropriate_ change of clothes with her and she was a couple sizes bigger than Daisy so borrowing any of her clothes was out. So off to church the family all went; even if Jesse was certain that everyone in the church would be staring at the ill-dressed Duke.

* * *

Later that evening, four of the six Dukes had gone out with the church choir to sing carols as they did every Christmas Eve. Of course that was only after Bo had insisted that there was no reason that the others back out after promising to join in just because he couldn't go.

Kira stayed behind with Bo to keep him company. The two took the time to exchange the gag gifts that they agreed to get. The family drew names for the real Christmas presents but considering the years that they missed, they couldn't resist doing this small gesture.

Bo had gotten Kira a mug that had a person shouting **I object!** With a judge asking **To what?** The come back had been, **What are my options?**

Kira laughed and pictured Bo being the one sassing the Judge. Kira handed a box to Bo who then tore it open like he was a couple decades younger. Opening the box, Bo pulled out a printed shirt. Reading it, Bo made a face in mock anger before laughing.

**I have the right to remain silent. I don't, however, have the ability.** Along with the words was a picture of a stick figure being _cuffed and stuffed_.

"You tryin' to tell me something with this?"

Kira just grinned as he tossed the shirt her way. "At least it's truth in advertising."

Kira ducked and grabbed a pillow off the couch behind her and tossed it back towards Bo and an all out pillow fight broke out. For the next several minutes the twins behaved twenty years younger. It was only when Bo started coughing up a storm that they stopped.

"I think you'd better go get that medicine that the hospital sent home with ya while I pick this room back up. Wouldn't do for Jesse to come in on this. We might both just find ourselves in a pot of hot water."

"Especially since you've already cranked it up to being lukewarm this morning."

"It's hereditary, from what I've heard. Besides, I have some catching up to do, don't 'cha think?" Kira grinned at her brother before Bo left the room in search of the awful medicine that the doctors claimed that would speed his recovery.


	17. Christmas Angel

**Chapter 17: Christmas Angel**

* * *

_Looking out her room Kira watched as the doctors and nurses that had ended up having to work on Christmas tried to brighten the day of their patients. To a young Kira, she really didn't see what was so special about it. At least this year she wouldn't go hungry. Some of her previous foster parents had drunk away the holiday. They had been the better ones. Now at sixteen Kira was too old to believe magic or miracles. _

_The only reason she had let the woman from Child Protective Services find her and take her back with her was because it had gotten really cold outside. She hadn't felt right in a while either. She always seemed to be far too tired and had been getting sick a lot too. Bruises she had gotten several weeks ago from a fall still haven't faded. _

_Like always, once brought back off the streets, Kira had been taken to be checked out for a clean bill of health before being placed with other kids. This time had been different though. The doctors had said something was wrong with her blood. Instead of being sent back to the group home until a single family home could be found for her, she had been admitted into the hospital. _

_That had been almost three weeks ago. Each day she seemed to feel sicker, not better. Her hair had started to come out too. One nurse had told her it was from the medicine. She had been angry that someone would give her something that would make her hair fall out. Of course, many of the kids in this section of the hospital had lost their hair. _

_As she looked out her door that a nurse had left open to encourage her to participate in the special activities of the morning, Kira watched as families came to visit the other children. The nurses had started to pity her since she had no family to visit her. Her case worker had dozens of other children to check in with and had only been able to come twice since her arrival. She had wanted to tell them exactly where they could stick their pity and would have is she just had enough strength to do it. So instead, she sat in bed, staring out the door. _

_Wondering what was so Merry about Christmas._

* * *

Morning broke the next day to a bustle of activity. Daisy and Uncle Jesse were in the kitchen preparing a grand breakfast for the special morning while Judd had gone out to help his brother with the morning chores. That left Bo without anything really to do until the others were done. Going to the guest room, he knocked on the door to wake his sister.

"Hey Kira, wake up. It's Christmas."

_'I'm awake. Now go away.' _

Bo snickered as he headed back to the kitchen. Looks like not even Christmas could help his sister become more of a morning person. Briefly, he wondered what it would have been like if his aunt and uncle had to have dealt with not one but two kids that hated waking up in the morning as bad as he and Kira did. Especially Kira.

Daisy and Luke were always easy to wake up in the morning. Shoot, Luke was such a light sleeper that all Uncle Jesse had to do was open the door to the bedroom and just softly tell his oldest that it was time to get up and that would be the end of it. It usually then fell to Luke to get Bo up and about.

"Good morning Daisy, Merry Christmas." Bo popped a kiss on her forehead and grabbed a piece of bacon from the table before Jesse could see him. Earning him a cross-look before Daisy just laughed at his usual antics of getting food before meal time. He's done it since he could reach the table and it didn't look like he would ever out grow the habit.

"Good morning Bo, Merry Christmas. Kira up yet?"

"She's awake; don't think she's up yet, though. It's still a bit early for her."

"I guess farm hours are a bit rough to get used to. Breakfast is just about ready. You may want to hurry her up a little."

Back in the bedroom, Kira was getting ready to head out to the kitchen still trying to shake the remnants of the night's dreams out of her head. Walking out the door filled with mixed feelings, Kira painted a smile on her face. Otherwise she'd bring the others down. She didn't want to be responsible for ruining the holiday for the others.

In the kitchen, the rest of the family was already waiting at the table. Breakfast was an animated event with good-natured joking and picking back and forth. Kira enjoyed watching the others though she held back from joining in too much. She assumed that if anyone noticed, they'd just chalked up her quietness to it still being so early for her.

After breakfast, everyone moved into the living room for presents. Kira went ahead and grabbed up the present that she had brought with her. She had drawn Luke's name to shop for so she handed the package to him before she sat down on the couch.

Opening the present, Luke was surprised to find a new pair of boots. Snake skin boots at that. Kira had noticed that the ones that he was wearing were worn completely out. She'd be willing to bet that he felt every pebble that he stepped on. Kira also didn't bother with sticking to the budget limits either. She knew that Bo's boots were in just as bad shape as Luke's, too. She'll have to find a way to fix that after Christmas.

After Luke thanked her, he gave Bo his present which was a new belt with a shiny new buckle. It had a Confederate flag on it. Bo had gotten Daisy a new blue dress for church which earned him a big hug. Then it was time for Daisy to give Kira her present. Opening the box, Kira found a very pink, very bright, sweater.

"I figured you needed a little color. You're always wearing those drab browns and greens. So when I saw this sweater, I figured it would be just the thing. I hope you like it." Daisy was practically beaming knowing for sure that she had gotten her cousin the perfect gift.

"Thanks Daisy. It's a lovely sweater."

_'Liar.'_

Bo grinned at her knowing that Kira most likely was just trying to be kind. He knew that lovely would not really be the way she wanted to describe the sweater.

_'Hush. And it would be a great sweater if it had been a different color.'_

_'You ain't gonna tell her you hate the color pink?'_

_'No and neither are you!'_

Kira glared at Bo as if daring him to say anything. The silent argument continued for several minutes unnoticed by the others in the room. So wrapped up in ensuring that Bo didn't spill the beans about the sweater, Kira totally missed what Judd and Jesse had gotten for Christmas. She didn't really worry about it too much though; she'd figure it out later.

* * *

While preparing for Christmas dinner, Kira was surprised when Rosco showed up. Apparently, he and his basset hound, Flash, were a Christmas regular. How her family and Rosco could be pitted against one another for the majority of the year and be able to happily celebrate together was something that she really didn't think she'd ever understand. Daisy had even gotten Flash a new collar for Christmas. And of course, it too was pink. Poor Flash didn't look as pleased with Daisy's choice of colors and she had been.

Sitting down in the living room after dinner, Kira soon found that Flash had decided that her lap would make a good pillow.

"Well, it looks like Flash likes ya."

"As a comfortable bed at least," Kira responded to Rosco as she absently scratched behind Flashes ears.

"You like dogs?"

"Yeh, used to always want to get a real big dog. Never had one though."

"Why don't 'cha get one now? I wouldn't give mine up for the world." Rosco asked.

"Nah. My building doesn't allow pets. Plus, with the hours I always work, it wouldn't be fair to a dog; for it to be cooped up all day long and all. Maybe if I ever get out of the city but not right now."

Once the kitchen was all cleaned up and the evening chores were done, the rest of the family migrated to the living room as well where Bo and Luke got their guitars out and played while everyone else sang various carols. Soon the evening began to wind down and Jesse got the large old Family Bible out and read the Christmas story. With that done, Rosco took his leave and the Dukes all began to get ready to call it a night after a festive day.

No sooner had Kira closed the door to the guest room, however, than there was a knock on the door. Kira opened it and let Bo in.

"Alright, give. You've been quiet all day. What 'cha been thinkin' about?"

Kira shrugged her shoulders. She had hoped that she had gone under the radar with everything else that had gone on through out the day. She should have known though that she wouldn't have gotten anything past her brother.

"Just thinkin' about Ben I guess. I met him on Christmas Day. I guess you could say that that was my first Christmas miracle."

Bo leaned forward to give Kira something she'd never ask for; a comforting hug. All the while hoping that she'd share the story of how she had met her very own Christmas Angel.

* * *

_As Ben Kyle was going down the hallway of the hospital, he couldn't help but be disgusted as he thought on the scene with his kids that morning. Every year since his kids were little they knew that he and his partner Tom Callahan and his wife Michelle visited the kids in the hospital on Christmas Day. It was something that had never even been an issue. It was just a fact. Though for the past few years, he knew that they had began to resent all the time he spent on "the charity cases" at the hospital. He had volunteered in various ways over the years. _

_For which he knew that his ungrateful children had began to refer to him as an "old fool" and said that he was getting soft in his old age. Maybe he had given them too much when they were growing up. Made it where they didn't appreciate what they had or just how fortunate they were. They still acted as if they were in their early twenties with the parties they constantly threw and attended instead of each pushing forty. _

_His son in law and daughter in law were just as bad as his own kids when it came to being spoiled by the money he had acquired over his life. He had already given up on ever having the grandchildren that he had so wanted too. Shoot, if his kids had given him them grandchildren, they'd be getting close to getting out of high school now. Instead, the closest thing to grandchildren it looked like he would ever get were the kids he visited here at the hospital. _

_Getting to the nurses station, Ben saw Michelle's sister Susan. The head nurse on staff in this wing. She had a few of the kids of various ages all lined up waiting on Santa to arrive to bring them their presents. They had been told that HE would be making a special trip just for them today. Looking at all the kids, his heart just about broke as they all started to happily scream as he walked into view._

_"Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas!"_

_Behind him, Tom and Michelle helped pull the other bags of presents that he himself couldn't carry. He had practically bought out a small toy store of what ever toys that they had left on the shelf the night before to add to the toys that he had already bought to bring today. Another reason for his kids to be so upset with him this morning. They were upset at how he was wasting THEIR inheritance away. Well, he ain't dead yet. So it was still his to spend however he wanted. After all, it was he that had built up the wealth over the years, not them. If he wanted to buy out toy stores and candy shops on occasion, then no one was gonna stop him. _

_Kira watched from her opened door as an old man in a Santa suit was surrounded by the kids in the wing, each practically screaming to the point of going hoarse. She should have known that the hospital would pay someone to visit all the kids. _

_A part of her wished that she was still young enough to believe in Santa Clause and the hope that he seemed to bring with him as he was handing out the presents that he'd brought with him. From where she sat in her room, she was impressed that the toys that were handed out didn't seem to be the factory rejects that she had sometimes seen given out by the various charity groups that had tried to collect toys for the kids at the orphanage over the years. _

_Despite herself, Kira climbed out of bed and stood by her door to watch the goings ons a bit better. Every one was having such a good time. It was as if for an hour, the kids and their parents were able to forget that they were in a hospital where the kids were in a very real fight for their lives. Standing where she was, she could almost, ALMOST, believe in miracles. After all, everyone else in the wing seemed to believe it, if just for a while. _

_She then reminded herself that her life itself was enough to disprove such foolish thoughts. If miracles existed, she certainly wouldn't be here without any family or spent all her life in various foster homes and then bouncing back and forth on and off the streets. So instead of joining in with the Christmas fun, Kira closed her door to the smiles and laughter that seemed to be running rampant in the hall._

_Tom and Michelle handed out most of the various toys to the children along with the many types of candy that had been brought for the kids as Santa finished talking to the last kid who had waited eagerly for his turn. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a sad teenager with thinning red hair, who had been watching the morning activities from her room, close her door. He had seen a stark contrast in her room from the other children's rooms. Their rooms had flowers, balloons, toys, and other personal touches to make their rooms feel like less of a hospital room. He had seen none of that it the teen's room. Making his way over to Susan, he asked about the girl. _

_"She's the saddest case I've seen in a while; doesn't have any family to visit her. Her own social worker referred to her a **Throw-away Case**. Just came back in off the streets before she was brought here. Hardly ever says two words to any of the nurses either when we go in there to check on her."_

_Ben watched Susan leave to respond to a call in another room as he thought about the teen. Heading across the hall, Ben slowly made his way to the only room with a closed door. Once at the door, he knocked and waited for permission to go in. When it didn't come, he opened the door anyway and poked his head in._

_"Mind if I come in?"_

_"You gonna leave if I say I do?"_

_"Maybe."_

_Kira looked at the man in red for a minute before resigning herself to the intrusion. "Knock yourself out. Don't you think I'm a little old for a visit from Santa though?"_

_"You're never too old for a friendly visit, regardless of who that visit is from." Closing the door behind him, he walked over and extended his hand while offering his name. "I'm Ben."_

_Kira looked at his hand distrustfully before taking it. "Kira. Aren't you supposed to lie and say your name is Kris Kringle or something?"_

_"Well, you're the one who said that you're too old for Santa Clause. And since you didn't come out I figured I'd come to you. You may be too old for a doll, but you're never too old for candy. We brought all kinds. What's your favorite? I'll bet we have some for you." Kira just shrugged her shoulders. She really hadn't had many sweets; one was the same as another. "Well, I'll just bring ya in a mixed bag. How's that?"_

_"Fine I guess." Kira tried to go back to reading an old book that the night-time cleaning woman had left her. It was a text-book that she had used last semester. The school was using a different one this semester so it was just lying around. _

_"What 'cha reading?" Ben flipped the book up to see the title and was surprised. "Western Civilization. Isn't a college text-book a little old for you?"_

_"Not really. I've always liked reading about history anyways. And there ain't much else to do while stuck in here." _

_Ben got Kira to tell him about what she'd been reading. She was reading about the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. Ben was impressed by how bright she seemed to be. Both in the book learning that she seemed to be keeping up with despite not having been in school on a regular basis, and with her natural quick-wittiness. Even the fact that she was almost constantly sarcastic seemed to endear her to him. _

_Ben spent over an hour talking to the snappish teen until it was clear that she was becoming overly tired. He left with a promise to return the next day. Kira didn't really believe she'd see Ben again. After all, she'd heard that promise before from others that had yet to return. _


	18. Out on Good Behavior

**Chapter 13: Out on Good Behavior**

The next couple of days were filled with nothing too special. Bo continued to get bored from the restrictions that Uncle Jesse kept his youngest nephew under in an effort to keep him from having a return visit to the hospital. He had allowed Bo to help with some of the indoor chores but he was still forbidden to help out with the ones outside. Bo was taking his frustrations out on some of the decorations that he was taking down in the living room. While Kira watched, she started to softly laugh at a thought that struck her.

"What are you laughing at?"Bo looked up and saw Kira trying to hide her laughter while putting some ornaments in a box.

"You realize that this is the second time in as many months that you've found yourself missing those same chores that you've hated doing all your life. You hate them when you have to do them and miss them when you can't do them. Make up your mind, Bo-Bear."

Bo just glared at his sister for her teasing. It didn't really seem all that funny to him. But, then again, he guessed he could see how it might would seem funny to her. Instead of acknowledging it though, he just turned back to the garland that Daisy had hung up on the wall around the room.

Kira was still chuckling softly when Jesse came in to check on their progress. He had hoped that by giving Bo something to do it would ease his antsyness. Walking in, he watched as Bo was practically demolishing the garland as he removed it from the wall while Kira seemed to find his attitude hilarious.

"Something wrong?"

"No, Jesse."

"No, Uncle Jesse."

The twins answered the eldest Duke together; one sullenly, the other still trying to keep herself from laughing at her twin. Jesse just shook his head; sure that he had missed something between the two. Just before Jesse left the room, Kira called after him.

"Jesse, is it still okay for all of us to go out to the Boar's Nest tonight?"

Bo looked up at the mention of the others going out. Great. Just one more thing that he'll not be able to do because of the stupid pneumonia.

Jesse looked at the twins then nodded. "As long as ya'll take one of the trucks, I don't see why not. Provided that the chores are all done and this room's been finished by then."

Bo sent a questioning glance at his sister.

"I figured you were getting bored with being home bound. Daisy helped me convince the warden to let ya out of jail for the night."Kira winked at Bo as she turned back to the box of Christmas decorations. "Especially since this is Daisy's last night off before Judd and I head back to Atlanta after New Year's."

Bo grinned at his sister as he went back to the garland, a bit more careful and cheerful than he had been working on it.

Kira slid her boots on before looking in the full-length mirror behind the door. "Oh, why did I do that?"

Kira looked at her reflection and winced. She had decided to wear the pink sweater that Daisy had bought her. With it she wore a pair of hip hugging, black jeans and a pair of black boots with heels that could revile Daisy's typical heels. With them, her already tall frame could probably stand eye to eye with Luke.

At least while wearing the sweater she wouldn't need to where blush. Her skin tone would reflect the bright sweater.

After finishing her hair, pulling it back into a chignon, Kira headed out and waited for the others to get finished. The guys all came down together and it was more than obvious that Bo couldn't wait to head on out after being cooped up for a so long when he looked to see if Daisy was with Kira and saw she wasn't. Kira let out a whistle at the guys as she took them all in.

"Hey guys, ya'll clean up good. Daisy and I just might have to make ourselves scarce once we all get to the bar."

Bo walked over and slipped an arm around Kira's waist. "Not too scarce, darlin'. You can't make it too difficult for us to keep an eye on ya."

"I'm not the one that tends to need bail money after a night out. And you plan to keep an eye on me," Kira lightly jabbed Bo in the side as she spoke.

"Well hopefully, no one will need bail money this time." Luke, too, looked and saw that Daisy has yet to come down ready to go out. "Kira, this is the third time we've all decided to go out together and you've beaten everyone getting ready. How come you can get ready so quick and it always takes Daisy forever to get dressed?"

"I guess it's because I really don't care what others think about how I look. I dress for myself and figure that if they don't like it they can jump off a cliff as far as I care." Kira then remembered that the sweater that she currently was wearing was for Daisy's benefit so added, "Most of the time anyway."

Luke then hollered up to Daisy, "Hey Daisy, how much longer? We're all ready."

"Just another ten minutes!" Daisy hollered back which caused Luke and Bo to both groan. They both knew that ten minutes to Daisy usually ended up being at least twenty minutes in actuality.

"Well, while you and Judd are stuck waiting on Daisy, Bo and I will head on out and meet ya'll there."

"Who says we're the only ones that have to wait?"

"I knew there'd be something good to come out of having to not ride in The General. Have fun waiting on Daisy." Bo laughed as he and Kira headed toward the door, leaving their cousins to wait for Daisy to finish getting ready.

When Bo and Kira walked into The Boar's Nest, they immediately spotted Cooter sitting over at a table by himself next to an empty table. They went over and pulled the next table over to make room for the others once they arrived.

"Hey Cooter. How was Alabama for Christmas?"

Cooter had gone to visit his recently married daughter Nancy Lou and had just gotten back to Hazzard that day. "It made me feel OLD! To have a daughter old enough to be married, I just wasn't ready for that."

"Don't worry about that, a little time runnin' around with Bo and Luke will cure that." Kira leaned in with a soft mock whisper before continuing, "Everyone knows that they both still act like kids anyway."

"I heard that. And it's better than acting like an old shrew any day."

Cooter began to laugh as the two Dukes started to pick back and forth. The three at the table were so engrossed in the banter that they hardly noticed when none other than Ernie Leadbetter walked up to the table.

"And here I didn't think that you'd show back up around Hazzard; what with the rumors that are going around about you and all. Guess I was wrong." Ernie snickered as Bo moved to get in Ernie's face when he suddenly stopped. Instead he looked at Kira as she merely lifted her glass that the waitress had just brought her with a knowing smile on her face as she avoided her brother's hurt look.

"What rumor would that be, Leadbetter?"

"The one going around about how you really can afford those fancy clothes you've been wearing around town. Anybody who knows anything knows that NO Duke would ever actually make it as a lawyer."

"And just how do I supposedly earn my money?" Kira said with a raised eye-brow.

"From what I've heard your nothing but a two-bit hooker. And from what I've seen, I believe it," Ernie said as he cast a leering glance up and down Kira. Bo had begun to move toward Ernie and then once again was stopped by an unseen force and Cooter had gotten ready to move to defend Kira's honor as well when she sent him a look that stopped him dead in his tracks.

"Ernie, I've worked hard to get where I'm at in life. I'd appreciate it if you'd help set the record straight. I am NOT a two-bit hooker. **I am a high dollar call girl**." Kira took a sip of her drink to help her keep a straight face as Cooter and Bo looked at her as if she had just lost her mind.

"What's the difference?" Ernie sneered.

Kira smiled as she answered, "Ain't it a just shame that you'll just never get to know. 'Cause even if you saved up for a year, it's for damn sure you could never afford me. Of course if I charged ya for a whole hour, I'm pretty sure I'd have to find something else to do to fill the rest of the fifty-eight minutes and thirty seconds."

Cooter choked on his drink as Ernie turned a bright red from anger.

Just at that time, Rosco walked in and saw Ernie Leadbetter over at Bo's and Kira's table. Everyone knew that none of the Dukes got along with Ernie; Rosco was sure that the fault lay solely with the Dukes. It appeared though that it was Kira and not Bo who was talking to the other man, who was changing all shades of red and purple. Rosco couldn't see why Boss didn't care much for Kira. True she was a Duke though she didn't cause any of the kind of trouble that her brother and cousins did. Walking over, it was clear he was interrupting something.

"Well howdy, Miss Kira. Everything alright over here?" Rosco looked at the four people around the table. Cooter looked half-strangled, Ernie looked mad enough to chew nails, and Bo looked like he was barely keeping himself from jumping up and attacking Ernie. Kira looked somewhat please with herself though about what was anyone's guess.

"Sure is Sheriff. Ernie here was just on his way back to his own table. Which reminds me, if memory serves; I still owe you a drink. Care to join us?"

Bo glared at Kira, drinking with Rosco was NOT how he had planned to spend his evening.

"I'm sorry, I can't. If Boss came out here and saw me drinking with a Duke, he'd have my badge."

"Well how about havin' one at the bar and tell them to put it on my tab instead. Hogg couldn't have a problem with that, now can he?"

"I reckon that'd be alright, thank ye."

"Bye Sheriff," then Kira turned her attention back to Ernie and spoke with exaggerated sweetness. "Bye Ernie."

With Rosco right there, all Ernie could do was stalk back to his own table. Cooter busted out laughing once the other men were gone.

"Buddy-roo, I'm proud of ya. I didn't know you had that kind of self-control. I was about ready to stand up and knock his block off myself."

"Self-control, HELL! Kira dug one of her damned heels into the top of my foot. If'n I'd moved it probably would have cut right through. My best pair of boots, too." Cooter watched as Bo pulled his foot up and began to rub the top of his foot to try to get the circulation going again.

"So I'll buy you a new pair. Besides, YOU are the one who gave me the idea last month when I asked what Daisy would do if you didn't let her handle someone like Ernie."

Realization hit as Bo looked down at the awful boots that had been the source of so much pain just a few moments ago. "You bought those things just for tonight, didn't you?"

Kira grinned evilly, "Damn straight I did. It worked, too. Kept you from fightin' my battle didn't it?"

"And you still got Rosco thinking that you're an angel. I couldn't believe he came over here like he did." Cooter laughed as he saw the others walk in and he waved them over.

"Yeh, an angel with a crooked halo," Bo added as he finally got some feeling back into his foot.

"He's just compensating since he still feels guilty for not finding me when I was little. It'll wear off eventually."

"Did we miss something?" Luke asked as he sat beside Cooter.

"You could say that. Kira had another face off with Ernie. Next time I'll have to remember NOT to drink anything 'til it's over. I about strangled on my drink. Of course, Kira, don't 'cha think you were hittin' a little below the belt there?"

The others just looked on, uncertain of just WHAT they had missed.

"That was the point, Cooter."

"Would someone tell us just what ya'll are talking about?" Daisy asked as she took in the looks on her cousins' faces as well as Cooter's.

"Daisy, if you hadn't have taken forever to get ready you would have been here and wouldn't have missed anything."

Daisy gave Bo a crossed look while still waiting for one of the three to tell her just what they were talking about.

"Well while you two are filling these guys in, I think I'll go up to the bar to order some drinks for everyone."

With that, Kira indulged in a self-satisfying grin as she heard Cooter's retelling of her encounter with Ernie with more than just a little exaggeration. Bo added his viewpoint into the mix and how he had nearly lost all feeling in his foot during the whole ordeal.


	19. Out for Fresh Air

**Chapter 19: Out for Some Fresh Air**

As Kira was waiting at the bar for the pitcher of beer and the water that she ordered, Kira watched as a couple of large and suspicious men headed into the back room that she knew to be Hogg's office. She knew that they should be familiar to her, she just couldn't place them. As the Bartender walked back over to her, she got his attention.

"Hey Steve, who were those men that just went in to see Hogg?"

"Not sure. They've been coming in for about three weeks but never order anything."

_Three weeks, that would have included the time span of when the others were kidnapped._

"Do me a favor; send this on over to the table, would ya? I'm gonna go freshen up." Kira dropped a few bills on the counter for the drinks and started to walk off.

"Wait! This is too much."

"Use it to pay for my brother's tab then," Kira said back as she made her way to the side door.

Once outside, Kira made her way to the window to Hogg's office. She couldn't hear anything, but she did her best to follow the conversation anyway. Hogg seemed to be trying to placate the other two, especially the older gentleman in a grey suit. The younger one in a dark suit just seemed to be along for the ride. Not really saying anything. He had the air of being hired muscle. As the older man leaned in to say something, he was stopped, apparently by someone calling to him on the CB. He left Hogg sweating in his chair as the older man returned the call on the CB then looked toward the window.

Kira ducked to avoid being seen but saw the younger man heading toward the door to the outside. Kira cursed under her breath as she pulled away from the window. Looking across the parking lot filled with cars, it became obvious to her that the older man had left someone to watch from the outside.

Kira had two choices. The first one was to go back inside and act normal and hope that they wouldn't follow her into the bar full of innocent bystanders. Kira chose the second option.

Kira sprinted toward her truck, cursing the three inch heels as she went. Jumping into her truck, she slammed it into gear and took off with a sedan close behind her. Not a dark one, like would be typical of a goon on TV or anything, but a white one.

_Figures, after all, here in Hazzard the bad guys wear white._

Kira glanced into her rear-view mirror as she pushed the truck as fast as it would go; she had already passed a hundred miles an hour and her speed was still climbing. Unfortunately, the car behind her was still staying far too close for comfort.

Kira was force to slow a little to make the next turn which gave away precious ground to her pursuers. When the men behind her started shooting, Kira was willing to admit that spying on Hogg wasn't the smartest thing that she had ever done. Briefly she wished that Bo was with her since he was seasoned enough at country driving that he most likely could have taken the curve at full speed. She may race like the devil on a motorcycle on the track, but driving the truck on a back-road in the dark was a bit different.

"That's it. Looks like I'm gonna have to go to Ridge-Runners U." Kira gunned it once again as she started out of the curve.

Kira tried to pull ahead but this road had just too many sharp turns to get going fast for too long. Just as she was pulling away from yet another turn, Kira felt the truck lurch forward. The car behind her was trying to run her off the road. Kicking her truck into four-wheel drive, Kira figured she might as well as accommodate it.

Once off road, Kira actually began to pull away from the sedan behind her. In fact, the car soon pulled off of their pursuit entirely within a matter of moments after Kira left the black top. Kira turned her lights off and ran dark for a few minutes before finding a place to turn around and stop. She stayed where she was as she watched the sedan drive away. The top thought on her mind was that once again Hogg seemed to be in the middle of mischief that she doubted would end well for the Dukes.

Heading back toward the Boar's Nest, Kira continued to run dark. Figuring it was safer to drive with no lights for now than to attract the attention of anyone who may still be waiting for her to come out of hiding. Unknown to Kira, the men in the sedan had written her license plate number down before breaking off their pursuit. They figured that it would be easier to track her down, to see if she had seen or heard anything she shouldn't have, later on.

When Kira got back to the parking lot, she was able to get a spot just one place over from where she had been parked earlier. Hopefully, no one would notice the difference in where the truck was parked. Going back inside, Kira hung back to try to see if she'd been missed. Luckily, it appeared that everyone had already paired off. Bo was sweet talking a blond at the table as Judd seemed to have been able to convince her twin to dance. Luke, too, was dancing with a brunette. Daisy was sitting at the bar talking to Enos who must have come in while she was out for her impromptu night race.

As she was deciding whether or not to head back to the table, a tall blond that she had yet to meet came over and asked her to dance. Glancing up, Kira saw Luke looking her way. Where she most likely would have refused at any other time, Kira decided that she might as well accept so as to help explain her absence from the table. So dance she did. Though for the rest of the night she couldn't seem to really enjoy herself.

Kira had finally been able to excuse herself from the blond and headed over to the table to give her aching feet a break. She was not used to wearing such high-heels. How Daisy can wear them on a daily basis was beyond her. The table was empty for now which was just fine for Kira. Picking up her water, Kira stared at the door to Hogg's office. She started to think on what she'd seen through the window and the fact that Hogg actually didn't seem to be in control at all. Then remembering how Luke had referred to the fact that Hogg tends to set things in motion only to lose control of them. Kira thought that precisely seemed to fit the scene that she had seen.

"Hey, where'd you go earlier?"

Kira snapped her head up and saw that Luke had joined her at the table, sans the brunette who he had last been seen with. Kira shrugged one shoulder. It looked like she hadn't snuck in unnoticed after all. "Just went out for some fresh air."

"In the truck?"

"You came looking for me?" Kira evaded the question. She wasn't used to explaining her actions to anyone. She knew that Luke was only looking after her like he had done for the others all his life. Heck, he probably couldn't stop doing it if he tried.

"As a matter of fact, I did after you were gone for half an hour without any word to the rest of us." Kira looked toward the others to see if they had taken an interest in her and Luke's conversation. "I don't think any of them noticed. And Bo's still favoring that foot of his." Kira then noticed that Luke had edged his own feet just out of stomping range; Kira found herself fighting a grin as he did so. "I figured that if you ended up in any real trouble you'd call Bo so I let it go. You gonna answer my question now?"

Looking at Luke, she could see an awful lot of Jesse in him. And she sensed that he wasn't going anywhere until she shared just what she had been up to. So, despite the fact that it was the opposite of what she wanted to do, she told Luke about the two men who had gone into Hogg's office and about how she had watched them from the window. She then told of how the lookout had informed those inside about her and of her mad dash down the road when they came out after her. She also told Luke how she had a nagging feeling that she'd seen the older man before and felt she should know him but couldn't place him. She left out her suspicions of his involvement with the kidnapping.

Once Kira was done, Luke did what the oldest, more responsible Duke does best. He pointed out how dangerous getting involved with the suspicious men really was and how she should have found a way to get help instead of going off alone with no one knowing that she was in trouble.

"Gee, I'm sorry, Luke. I guess I should have come back into a room full of innocent people and HOPE that they would have just let it go. Not to mention, hope that they didn't decide to use them guns that they were only too willing to pull out. But you're right; I should have come back in to alert the cavalry. And panic everyone else in here to boot."

Luke blew out a breath and shook his head. Arguing with Kira about why she shouldn't have gone off alone ain't nothing like trying to talk some sense into Bo. He knew Bo like the back of his hand; knew exactly how to talk to him. Kira, well, he's still figuring her out.

"Luke, go back to your dancing and carrin' on. I promise I'll be a good girl and stay right here. Now go on. There ain't nothin' left to talk about no how."

The next morning Kira felt a little guilty for getting short with Luke. She knew that pokin' around with guys like the ones Hogg obviously was associated with was like playing with fire. Unfortunately, fire is exactly what has always drawn her. She always seemed to have a knack for smelling smoke, and then would run headlong into the flames as if they could never hurt her. If it could, she would have been reduced to flames and embers a long time ago.

Kira had wanted to talk to Luke to apologize but when she woke up she found all the guys had left for their usual Saturday morning breakfast of beer and doughnuts at the garage with Cooter. That left only Jesse and Daisy to wait for Kira to wake up so they had let her sleep instead of getting her up with everyone else. When she walked into the kitchen to find the two sipping on coffee, Daisy told her that Bo had taken her truck and said that he didn't think she'd mind.

"He was right, I don't. Though I was planning on going to go buy him some new boots to replace the ones I demolished last night."

As Kira mentioned the events of the previous night, Daisy started to giggle as she informed Uncle Jesse of just how she had kept Bo from interfering while she had put Ernie in his place.

"I'll have to remember that one, Kira."

"Remember it, nothing. I got the idea from Bo when I asked him what you would have done last month. He's the one that said that you would have put one of your heels right through his foot."

"Hey I'll tell ya what; I was planning on going into Capital City to pick up a few things. You can ride along. I'll give ya some more tips on how to manage all these Duke Men."

"Sounds good, I'll go get ready," Kira said as she stood up from the table.

"After you've had your breakfast," Jesse boomed just before she left the room.

Daisy gave her a grin as she rolled her eyes before turning back toward their uncle. Sitting at the table, Kira began to eat, though as little as she thought that she could get away with. Not really sure why it mattered to Jesse whether she ate or not but figured that it wasn't really worth an argument. She and Daisy then was out the door towards Capital City within the hour.

Kira left Daisy while she headed over toward the Men's footwear department to get Bo some new boots. She really hadn't figured on things working out so well. She knew that Bo needed new boots but didn't know how to get around the whole Duke pride thing to just go out and get them. Luke's was easy since it was a present and he had the good grace not to refuse a present. It looked like putting her heel through Bo's shoes last night had solved two problems for her, not just one.

Kira asked the sells clerk for their best boots in Bo's size and surprised him when she didn't flinch at the price when he went to ring them up. She then went to find Daisy. She was right where she had left her trying to pick out a pair of shoes to match her new Sunday dress.

_She shops the same way Sam does,_ Kira thought to herself while shaking her head. _Maybe I should invite Daisy up to Atlanta and send them two off together._

Finding a place to sit, she waited for her cousin to decide between the three pairs of shoes that she had narrowed down the choices to. If Kira thought that it would speed things up any, she would have just bought all three pairs for her. Somehow, though, she had the suspicion that instead Daisy would find complimentary outfits for the remaining two pairs of shoes.

While putting the packages that Daisy had acquired, both of clothing with accessories along with the staples needed for the farm into the back of the Jeep, Daisy took a peek into the box that held the boots that Kira had purchased then sent Kira a critical look.

"Kira, can I ask you something? I mean, I don't want to seem nosey or anything. If it's too personal, I'll understand."

"Daisy, you can ask anything you want. If I think the question is too personal, I just won't answer it. What 'cha want?" Kira joked.

Daisy gave a slight smile since Kira was very likely to be true to her word and just not answer her. "Well it's just that I know the price of nearly everything in this store by heart, and I saw the boots that ya bought Luke. Plus you paid both the mortgage and Bo's hospital bill. I don't mean to pry, but how can you afford all this?"

"You mean since everyone knows that you don't get rich working as a Public Defender? I guess Bo hasn't filled the rest of ya'll in on what he knows about my past, huh?"

"I haven't heard much. He probably told Luke more though." Daisy continued to look at her waiting to see if Kira would share. "But like I said, if it's too personal..."

"No, I might as well tell you. Especially since Hogg checked up on me after I left last time. You see, Ben's will is a matter of public record. Hogg now knows to the penny what Ben left me in his will. Ben Kyle was a very successful lawyer whose clientele was among the richest, and the most élite in the country. Plus he was fairly shrewd with the stock market.

When he died, in addition to paying for my way to Law School, he also left me nearly a third of his estate; which completely ticked his kids off. That is probably one of the reasons he did it. He left one-third to me, one-third to various charities, then had his two kids split the remaining third. They tried to contest the will but didn't have a leg to stand on. So as long as I went to Law School. Anyway, I really don't have to worry about money."

Getting into the jeep, Daisy sat for a minute longer before putting it into gear. "Oh. Then why do you work as a Public Defender?"

Kira shrugged her shoulders before answering. "I guess I got tired of helping people avoid going to jail simply because they could afford a good lawyer when others who couldn't shell out for a decent defense went up the river for crimes they really didn't commit simply because their lawyers were just too over worked and burned out to care. There's been a couple of times that I went ahead and sprang for a P.I. myself because I knew that my client was innocent, I just couldn't prove it." Now it was Kira's turn to ask Daisy something. "Daisy, Luke told ya'll about what happened last night, didn't he?"

"I wasn't gonna mention, but yeh. You know he was just worried about ya, right?"

Kira nodded. "I ain't used to that, though. Not to the level that this family carries it. Anyway, I realized that I may ride like a demon on a bike, but I ain't really ever had much practice for that kind of drivin' in a car that I really could've used last night. You think you could give me some pointers, you know, Ridge-Runner style?"

"Sure, but why not ask Bo or Luke." Kira gave Daisy a hard look for the suggestion. "Okay, forget I mentioned it. I know where you're coming from on that one. This will be our secret. I still have a few hours before I have to get ready for work. I'll take us out somewhere where you can get some practice in."

The girls got back to the farm with just enough time for Daisy to get ready to head out to the Boar's Nest for her shift. They had nearly lost track of the time while having so much fun. Daisy didn't really think that she needed to actually teach Kira anything. She just needed a little practice was all. So they drove around the back roads and even out ran Rosco when he tried to give them a speeding ticket. Daisy was glad that they had finally found something that they seemed to be able to bond over since it certainly hadn't been shopping. Shopping with Kira was worse than taking one of the guys along; or maybe even a little worse than taking both.

Kira saw The General Lee parked out in the yard but noticed that her truck was still M.I.A. so she figured that Bo must have stay out at the garage. When she went inside, however, she was surprised to see all three Duke Boys sitting in the living room.

"Hey Bo, if you're here, where's my truck?" Kira continued up toward the stairs as she spoke.

"Still at the garage. We pounded out the dents in the tailgate and the back bumper but the paint wasn't dry. Cooter'll fetch it out just as soon as it is."

Looking at Bo, Kira could tell that he wasn't all too happy that she hadn't told him about the incident from the night before. "Ya'll didn't have to do that. I could have gotten it fixed with no problem."

"It shouldn't have needed to be fixed at all," Bo scowled.

Kira leaned against the wall with her arms crossed in front of her chest. Stealing a glance, Kira saw that the brothers were wisely keeping their mouths shut. "You gonna sit there and tell me that you've never got a dent in The General?"

"That ain't the point; you shouldn't have took off like ya did."

Shaking her head, "I'm not gonna have the same argument with you as I had with Luke. I get it. You fellas are allowed to take risks but I ain't. With that in mind, I'll head on up and take care of some nice, boring, SAFE work that I brought with me. And you really do need to work on your arguing skills. That whole, 'that ain't the point' bit was really lame." Kira headed on up the stairs as she hollered back, "But thanks for fixin' the dents anyway."

Kira tossed the new boots across the room to land on Bo's bed before heading back down into the guest room and pulled out her bag with the case files that she had brought with her. Pulling out a map that she had bought, Kira started plotting the locations of the various crimes. She also color coded the markers based on the types of crime that were committed. She wasn't sure if there was a pattern, or even what she was looking for. But she just had the feeling that she was on to something. She just had to figure out what.

Over dinner, everyone was discussing their plans for the next night since it was New Year's Eve. Jesse had plans with some of the other old Ridge Runners and each of the fellas had arranged dates when they were out the night before. Bo and Judd each had a date with one of the Johnson twins and Luke had a date with Grace, the brunette that he spent much of the previous night with.

"Come on Kira, are you sure that you're just gonna sit around here by yourself. I'm sure we could find ya a date, if you're just afraid that you'll be a fifth wheel or something."

Kira dropped her fork at Bo's mention of finding her a date. "Bo, I love ya, but I think I'd trust Pauline to find me a date before I ever would you."

"That could be arranged too," Bo grinned.

"You wouldn't?" Kira blanched at her brother.

"Nah, I'd let her favorite nephew do it." Bo looked in Luke's direction as he winked and busted out laughing.

This got Luke going now, too. "You are the one that said that Bo and I are lucky that we live too far from Placid for her to meddle in our love lives. It seems to me that Atlanta really isn't all that far from it though."

Kira looked back and forth between the two and was doing a pretty good imitation of a fish out of water as she tried to come up with something to say in response. Surely they wouldn't actually invite that kind of trouble into her life.

"Oh you do hate me don't you?" Kira consoled herself with the fact that there was no way that they could pull off the ugly trick on her in time for the party the next night. "Trust me. I will be fine going over my case files. I'd much rather be doing that than going out with a mystery man of anyone's choosing. Though just thinking about this conversation is bound to give me nightmares for weeks. Not sure what would be scarier; Pauline playing matchmaker or one of ya'll."

The conversation steered away from Pauline though Bo was still thinking about it. He just might have the ultimate way to get Kira back from stabbing his foot with them danged three inch heels last night.


	20. A Night Out With Pauline Duke

**Chapter 20: A Night Out With Pauline Duke**

* * *

Kira spent the evening in as planned and had avoided the fate of being set up on a blind date. By the end of the night, it became clear that if she continued her crime-plotting, she'd need a much bigger map. Townsend had been connected to crimes in nearly every county in Georgia, including all three in the Tri-county area.

Over in Hatchapee, Townsend had been suspected of running a drug ring. In Chickasaw, it had been human trafficking. The man was made of rubber though; no charges could ever stick.

Evidence would get lost, witnesses attacked, move away, or just disappear. Some had even been found dead just before going before the grand jury. Those had been the ones who couldn't be intimidated. They had known the risks and took them. They had hoped to be the one that would help end the terror that Townsend seemed to rule over. They hadn't been successful, and they had paid for it with their lives.

Kira had just finished for the night and turned in as she heard everyone return to the farm one by one. Daisy had been the last to come home. Kira knew as well as anyone else that no one would actually sleep until the last Duke made it home. Drifting off to sleep, Kira began to wonder when it was that she had started to refer to the farm as home.

* * *

The next morning, Kira and Judd packed all their stuff up to prepare for the long drive back to Atlanta. Judd had promised to see Luke when he came back through in a few months for his up coming fight. It was rougher for him to stay in contact then it was for Kira, and she felt bad for him. She couldn't imagine how it would have been to find out that she had a family but then have to go so long in between visits. Heck, thanks to their link, she and Bo talked nearly on a daily basis.

She wasn't sure how Judd and Luke managed with just a few letters and the occasional phone call and even sparser visits; especially Luke. He wasn't the type to just trust that everyone was doing alright without him there to see it for himself. In fact, Luke seemed to be wrestling with that even now as he was helping Judd load his things up.

The closer it got to time for her and Judd to head out, the quieter Luke got. Bo, however, seemed to be both waiting for Kira to leave and wanted her to stay at the same time. If she didn't know better, she'd swear that he was up to something.

Much too soon, it was time to head back to Atlanta. Judd had a flight out that evening so they really couldn't wait any longer. As the four Dukes that remained behind watched the green pick-up drive away, Bo walked over and slung his arm across Luke's shoulders. It was always hard on him to watch his baby brother drive off. Bo supposed now he finally understood that better than he used to.

"Come on, Cuz. You've got a phone call to make."

Luke glanced sideways at Bo, casting a questioning look his way.

* * *

Several weeks later, Kira was in her office chatting with Officer Brent Baxter. They had been friends since before she became a Public Defender. He had helped her get used to the whole cop-jargon and was one of the few officers that didn't seem to despise defense attorneys on site. Kira had more than once sought his advice for the practical aspects on a case and had developed a fast friendship with him almost instantly.

In fact, they would have dinner and talk shop about once a week when Brent's significant other worked late. They kept a standing Thursday night reservation at one of her favorite restaurants in town. Sometimes Brent's other half would come along. More times than not, it ended up to be just the two of them. This gave Kira a chance to go out to a nice restaurant without having to sit by herself. She had always felt that doing that just looked sad. And she didn't have to go out with the losers that asked her out either.

Kira had just finished going over the latest cases that she had added to her color coded chart, (she had gotten a larger map, two actually since she had a duplicate one at her apartment) and had asked if Brent thought he saw any kind of pattern when the phone rang.

"Kyle here."

_"Kira, Jebb. I ain't got much time. I just got home from some errands that I had been sent out to do. When I got back, Mom was gone. I finally got it out of Emma and Emily that she's coming to see you. Not sure why, but they said that she's been plannin' this for a while. Ever since she talked to Luke on New Year's. I figured I should warn ya so you can get out of Dodge."_

"Thanks. I better pack up then and head out. Wait! She doesn't have my home address does she? I know I'm a sitting duck here at work and all, but-"

_"Nah, I think you'll be safe there. At least you can keep that door closed. Gotta run. Good luck."_

Kira hung up the phone and looked over at Brent. "I think we'd better get out of here while the gettin's good. My Aunt Pauline is on her way to see me. I have the feeling that she got the idea from my brother and cousin that I need her matchmaking skills. We were joking about it over the holidays, but I didn't think that they'd actually do it."

Brent laughed as he watched Kira pack her stuff up to leave. "What's this Aunt like? Must be bad for you to be running."

"Imagine your Aunt Mary. Worse than her!"

Brent's brows went up, "You're kidding. No one is worse than Mary."

"Pauline is. How I've been able to avoid her since Thanksgiving, I can only say I must have found favor with the big man upstairs somehow. Now those two," Kira pointed toward a picture frame on her desk holding a picture of the family at Christmas before continuing, "they've done decided to sick her on me. I thought they were up to something the last time I was in Hazzard. Come on, let's go."

Kira opened the door to her office to find none other than the afore mentioned aunt standing in the lobby asking one of her co-workers which office was hers.

"Kira! There you are. I was just coming to see you," Pauline said as she noticed Kira's door open.

"Pauline, what a surprise to find you _here_. What are you doing in Atlanta?"

"Well, the boys were worried so I promised that I would keep an eye on you. They were very relieved when I told them I'd come and spend a couple of days here with you."

"They were, were they? And just why did they say that they were worried about me?" Kira asked as she crossed her arms in front of her.

"Well, according to them, you work far too hard. They doubt that you've been eating good; claim that you get so wrapped up in your work that you lose all track of time. Plus those frozen dinners that Bo claims that you live on, well they just ain't all that good for you. But since you're here in the city with no family and no man to take care of you, I figured I might as well come up and see what I can do. Now I can only stay the weekend, though I might be able to work something out later for a longer visit."

When Pauline stopped for air, Brent felt he better do something to help Kira out. She really did look like she came prepared to take over. It was Aunt Mary all over again.

"We were just heading out to dinner; perhaps you'd like to join us." Brent walked up behind Kira and put his arm around her. Kira gave him a side-long glance to which he gave her a wink.

Pauline stopped her rambling when a tall, dark-haired man joined her niece. She had to admit, the man was certainly handsome and had to have been several inches taller than even Bo (the tallest of the Duke clan) would have stood. In fact, Pauline would say that a man that good-looking belonged in the movies. Taking in the rest of the man, she noticed that he was wearing a police officer's uniform; and he filled it out right nicely, too.

Pauline wished more cops wore their uniforms as nicely as this one did. The fact that he had his arm around Kira and she hadn't moved away like she'd seen her do over Thanksgiving anytime most of the family touched her hadn't gone unnoticed.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't see you there. I'm Pauline Duke, Kira's aunt. You are?" Pauline offered her hand and Brent readily took it.

"Brent Baxter. Nice to meet you," Brent said accepting Pauline's hand.

"So the two of you were heading out...Together?"

"Yes ma'am. Same as every Thursday night. If you'd like to join us, I can just call the restaurant to change the reservation from two to three." Kira glanced back to Brent while trying to figure out just what he was up to. "Ain't that right, Babe?"

"Uh, yeh. Pauline? Would you like to join us?"

"Why, I'd love to. It'll do my heart good to see you two together. And here I thought that you weren't seeing anyone, Kira. Why didn't you tell me? How long have ya'll been going out?"

"Let's see, we've had a standing date for what is it now?" Brent cocked his brow at Kira as she figured just what he was planning.

"I think it's been close to two years now. Pauline, would you excuse us. Brent can make that call in my office and I think I left a file behind. We'll be right back." Kira pushed Brent back into her office and shut the door behind her. "What are you doing?"

"The same thing you did for me when Mary came to Atlanta for the first time. With a little luck, we'll have her on her way back home by the end of dinner. Especially if the only reason she is here is because she thinks you need help finding someone to take care of you. _And_ she won't be planning that extended stay."

"Brent, I'd marry you for this if you weren't gay," Kira grinned at Brent.

"What can I say? I owe you. By the time my Aunt Mary left after meeting you and thinking that we were serious, she was relieved when she found out the truth about me and Kevin." Brent let out a hearty laugh at the memory.

"What can I say? I aim to please. Well, I guess we're having a dinner guest tonight then."

With that, they headed out to treat Pauline to a night out at Kira's favorite restaurant.

* * *

Somehow, sitting at the table, Kira was reminded of the fact that she really did need to make that dentist appointment. With any luck she just might need to have a cavity filled. It would be less painful going through that without medication than this dinner.

At least Pauline was being charmed by Brent, as Kira knew she would be, of course. The fact that the host knew them by name and took them to _"Their usual table"_ helped their shuck and jive on Pauline. She seemed thoroughly convinced that Kira and Brent were an item. Maybe Kira will be able to see to it that Pauline doesn't try her match-making magic on her after all. And of course get her out of Atlanta without too much collateral damage.

Right frankly she'd welcome Sherman and his army back any day if it meant that Pauline would be staying in Placid.

"Well, I'm sure that Bo and Luke will be just thrilled to know that you're so well taken care of here. I quite frankly was surprised when they called and asked me to check in on you. But I was glad to hear that they trusted you to me."

"About that Pauline, maybe we can just keep this our little secret for now. I mean, I'm not exactly used to the whole having a brother thing, and with Luke, I might as well have two older brothers. You remember how it was when you were single don't you? I'm sure you didn't tell your brothers about everyone you dated. Did you?"

"No, I suppose I didn't. Alright, I won't say nothing for now. Now, about this weekend-" Pauline started.

"That reminds me; I better go and cancel. Hopefully we can still get our deposit back." Kira grabbed her glass as Brent spoke (as was her habit while tying to keep a straight face). He turned toward Pauline as he continued. "We had planned on going to the mountains this weekend. If you're gonna be here a couple of days, I'd better go call the lodge." Brent stood as if to leave. "Excuse me, Pauline. I'll be right back."

"Oh, no! Don't do that. If you've already got plans, I understand. I don't want you to have to change them on my account. I should have known to call before I came but Luke said that it would ruin the surprise."

"Speaking of Luke, how come he's so concerned with me being taken care of? He's always so busy looking after everyone else, he ain't ever got around to taking care of himself. Shoot, if I was Luke's age and still unmarried with no real prospects, I'd be called an old maid. Seems to me that he's the one you should be worried about, Pauline. Not me."

"Oh. I do. It's high time that boy got himself around to gettin' settled down. But I really don't see that happening. Him and Bo are content to just carry on like they're still youngens. And anytime I suggest anyone to either one of them, well the other always offers excuses. And Daisy ain't likely to get married off as long as them fellas are still home neither. She'll make sure that the house is in order and all; a role that a wife should do, not a cousin who is practically their sister."

"Now, Pauline; as intelligent as you are, I'd figured that you would have found a way to divide and conquer by now."

Brent had a hard time keeping a straight face as Kira began to set the stage for turning her brother's and cousin's prank around on them.

"Oh, I've thought about it, _believe_ me. But during plantin' and harvestin' season Jesse needs them both of them at home. During the summer, they are always off racin' just like Jebb so if I claimed we needed extra help for that; well again, Jesse needs them for that, too. I've racked my brain on them two. I tell you I have."

"Pauline, it only takes ONE to drive that stock car of theirs in them races they are always entering."

Kira smiled an evil grin as Pauline's face lit up. Oh Kira would feel bad for the boys if they hadn't started this little war themselves.

"Of course, if you'd rather leave them alone... But you know as well as I do that the others follow Luke's lead everywhere. If you expect them to get married off, Luke will have to be first."

Pauline nodded her agreement and actually became silent for the rest of the main course as she became lost in deep thought. That blissful silence was short lived, however, when it came time to order dessert. When Kira order an éclair, Pauline had to pipe back up.

"Kira, do you really think you need that sugary dessert? Men really don't like it when women over indulge in sweets."

Brent choked down some water as Kira set her shoulder.

Okay, she'd had enough. She had been the polite hostess so far, but she'd only take so much.

"Pauline, dessert is never something anyone NEEDS. It's a want. And right now I want the éclair. But if you're suggesting for someone to skip dessert, I'd look in the mirror first."

"Besides, Kira usually burns the calories off runnin' around working on cases anyway. And if you knew your niece at all, you'd know she only indulges in desserts about once a week," Brent added in his friend's defense.

"I didn't mean anything by it." Pauline held her hands up in surrender. "If you don't mind her stuffing her face, I suppose I don't either. I was just trying to help. You know, I think I will skip the dessert. Since I won't be staying the weekend, I might as well head back to Placid. I'm sure the house is totally wrecked since no one is expecting me back until Sunday. I'll call to work out a time to come back. Since you can't cook, I think I'd better plan a cooking lesson for you. I think that it's high time that you learn. That way you'll be ready to feed your _husband _when you get married."

With that, Pauline stood and headed out to her car. Kira could barely hold her laughter in as her aunt left the restaurant with her feathers a bit ruffled.

"So much for her not planning that second stay in town. Think if I take that job offer I was given today I can get transferred before she comes back?" Kira groaned.

"You could hope. And you were right, she is worse than Mary."

"Well you were great. I think _she_ was ready to marry you, right up until the last. Those fellas back in Hazzard are really in for it now. When I get through with them, they will never pull this kind of stunt on me again."

"Trust me, you're the only woman that I'd want in my life." Brent winked at her as he referred to an old running joke of theirs. "No one else could come close to tempting me. And, it looks like your cousin will be having an interesting summer at least."

"What, that? Nah. They'll be expecting that. Brent, you think you could help me pull a prank on my brother and cousin?"

"Honey, I'll pull anything on them two that you want me to." His brows bounced up and down a couple of times as the two began to laugh at the guys' expense.

Both Brent and Kira spent dessert figuring out just how Kira would take her revenge out on the Duke Boys for sicking Pauline on her. At the end of the meal, Kira was right pleased with her plan. Of course the timing would have to be perfect; at a time that their guard would be down. That meant buying time for a while.

She couldn't carry it out this weekend anyway since her accomplice would be out on a trip this weekend anyway. Brent really did have plans to go to the mountains this weekend, just not with Kira. But the wait would well be worth it.


	21. Helpless

**Chapter 21: Helpless**

* * *

**This chapter comes with a warning for implied violence and language. It's why I put Pauline in during the last section, to give levity. So, love me, hate me. Send me reviews. Now go get your kleenex.**

* * *

Kira had just put her key into the door as she heard the phone ring inside her apartment. Pushing the door opened, she tossed her bag onto the sofa as she picked up the phone just as her machine kicked in. Well, she'll just have to delete the message later.

"Hello?"

_"Kira? Didn't think you were home. I was going to just leave a message to ask how your week's gone so far. Anything interesting happen?"_

"Real cute, Luke. You know damned well that Pauline came to see me last night."

_"Hey, it was Bo's idea. Not mine."_

"And you just went right on ahead and helped him with it too, didn't you?"

_"Bo figured that you might as well go ahead and get your initiation into the Duke clan in to make it official. All of us have had to fend off Pauline's meddlin' at one time or another. It was just your turn."_

"Luke isn't the oldest suppose to help PROTECT the younger ones. Not feed them to the wolves! You could have at least of given me a little warning."

Kira grabbed the phone cradle so she could walk around. She wasn't really as mad as she sounded. Probably since she already had her revenge planned out but Luke didn't know that. With a smile on her face, she figured she'd see if she could make Luke squirm.

Kira went over to the map that she had placed on the wall to stare at it as she had develop a tendency to do since putting it up. She had several points to add to it after she got off the phone, but for now, she might as well give her cousin what for. He had it coming and he knew it.

"It would have served ya'll right if'n I had driven Pauline all the way to Hazzard and dropped her off on ya'll's doorstep."

Luke was busy laughing at Kira's ranting as she looked at the map and saw a message in red marker written across it.

**TURN AROUND**

"What the Hell?" Kira turned her head just in time to see her lamp being wielded and was headed straight for her head.

* * *

Luke came up short as he heard his cousin holler out. "Kira?"

Then he heard a crash on the other end of the line.

"Kira! Are you there? What's going on?"

Luke could do nothing but listen as she was being attacked in her own home. From the other end of the line, Luke could hear an obvious struggle; to which he hoped that Kira was winning. He felt completely helpless as he listened from hundreds of miles away.

_"Get OFF of me!"_

Luke heard Kira scream from what sounded like pain as he heard more shoving and breaking of unknown items. Then his blood ran cold as the screams took on a different pitch. He had to get help but if he hung up to call the police she'd truly be alone to face the horror that she was currently going through. As long as he was on the line, she wasn't alone.

"Hang on, darlin'." Luke looked around the room and his eyes fell on the CB. He couldn't reach Atlanta on it, but it will have to do. "Breaker, Breaker! Is there anyone home on the Hazzard Net? This here is Luke Duke. I have an emergency. Come Back."

_"This is Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane. This had better be a real emergency or I'm gonna arrest ya for making a false claim. Now what do you want?"_

"Rosco, shut up and listen. You've got to call the Atlanta Police Department and get them over to Kira's apartment right away! I was talking to her on the phone and she's being attacked right now! Tell 'em to go to..." Luke looked at the pad near the phone that had Kira's number and address on it. "To five-one-eight Rolling Hill Road. Apartment five c. Come back."

_"Hang on; you say you are on the line? Come Back?"_

"That's right. And you better hurry; it doesn't sound good at all."

_"Well whatever you do, don't hang up!"_

"I wasn't plannin' on it!" Luke shouted back in the CB. He could still hear movement but Kira had gone silent. He did hear the sound of what had to be paper being shredded and then after some more ransacking, the door slammed shut.

_"This is Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane calling one, Luke Duke. Are you still there? Come Back."_

"This is Luke."

_"Luke, the police are on their way. They're gonna want to talk to you when they get there; you being considered a witness and all, so hold the line. I'll be out just as soon as I get Boss to sign some paperwork so ya'll can head out to Atlanta. So just hold on!"_

"Understood. Thanks, Rosco."

Luke listened real hard to see if he could hear anything else. Was Kira even still there? What if who ever had attacked her had decided to take Kira with them? If only he could at least hear her breathing.

"Kira, darlin'. I don't know if you can hear me but help's on the way, you just hang on. You hear me? Just hang on."

The minutes ticked by in excruciating agony. Luke heard the door to Kira's apartment get busted in. He hoped that help had finally arrived, and not too late for Kira. Just as Luke heard movement on the other end of the line, Bo and Daisy had came in from outside.

"Bo Duke! I mean it! You go up to bed right now!"

"Daisy, it really is just a headache. I'm fine."

"Bo, a headache wouldn't have made your knees buckle the way they did. That was plum dangerous. What with you choppin' wood and all. Now Get!"

_"Clear."_

_"Clear."_

_"This room's clear too. There she is." Silence. "Call to see where that bus is at. Get it here now."_

_"Yes sir."_

_"This is Officer Lyons. I was informed that you heard the assault over the phone. Could I have your name?"_

"Hey, Luke, tell Daisy that a little headache ain't no cause to get all up in arms about." Bo hollered over his shoulder as he headed over to the refrigerator to get something cold to drink after getting all sweaty chopping that firewood.

Luke found his voice and finally answered the officer on the phone. "Luke... Lukas Duke, sir. Yes sir. Is she...?" He couldn't finish the question; afraid to hear the answer.

Only after hearing his shaky voice did Bo and Daisy notice that Luke was on the phone and his jaw was working overtime. Concerned, they walked over to find out what was going on.

_"The paramedics are on their way here. The call that came in from the Hazzard Police Department said that Miss Kyle is a relative of yours. The doctors are going to need to know if she's allergic to anything. Is she?"_

"Yes sir, she's my cousin. Allergic? I don't know." Luke turned to Bo. "Is Kira allergic to anything?"

"Luke, what's going on?"

"Just answer damned the question! Is she allergic to anything?"

"Um.. Yeh. Codeine. She's allergic to codeine. Now will you-"

"Sir, she's allergic to codeine."

_"Alright, I'll tell them. The Sheriff said that ya'll will be coming in tonight. I'll have an officer standing by to get your statement when you get here. Alright?"_

"Yes sir. But could you just tell me how she is?"

Luke heard silence on the other end as the officer tried to decide just how much to tell him about Kira's condition.

_"I'm not a doctor, son. I couldn't tell ya. You just head on to the hospital and I'll have someone waiting to talk to you then."_

The line went dead and Luke stood staring at the phone in his hand for a moment before he hung it up.

"Daisy, Kira left some clothes here, didn't she?"

"Yeh. Just some sweats and some jeans and stuff like that. Called them her comfort clothes. Why?"

"Go and pack some up in a bag. Bo and I need to go pack, too. We'll be heading out just as soon as Rosco gets here with the paperwork to let us out of the county."

"Luke, would you tell us just what the Hell is going on?" Something had happened to Kira and Luke knew what. Now he'd better tell him. She was his sister after all. He had the right to know.

"Bo," Luke let out a breath trying to figure out just how to tell his cousin what had happened. "I called Kira. Ya know, to kid her about Pauline and all. She sounded like she was ready to nail our hides to the wall for sickin' Pauline on her."

"What's that have to do with you asking me if Kira is allergic to anything?"

"I'm getting to that. While we were talking-" Luke swallowed hard on the lump in his throat before continuing, "Someone attacked her. I used the CB and got Rosco to call up to Atlanta and send for help. I stayed on the line and the police had just gotten there when the two of you came in from outside. That was when they asked about her allergies. They didn't want to give her anything she was allergic to.

Now you go get your stuff together. We'll leave just as soon a Rosco gets here with that paperwork. Daisy, you stay and tell Uncle Jesse what happened just as soon as he gets back from CapitalCity. Now get. We got to hurry up and get ready."

"Well, is she alright?" Bo asked worriedly.

Luke paused on his way up the stairs. He really didn't have anything to help alleviate his cousin's concern. "They wouldn't tell me."

With that Luke headed off to pack his own bag. He knew Bo was trying to get him to tell him more of what had happened, but he had a hard time hearing him over the echoes of Kira's screams that were stuck in his head.


	22. Relief

**Chapter 22: Relief**

* * *

**_Luke isn't the oldest suppose to help PROTECT the younger ones?_**

He kept hearing that phrase over and over in his head along with the screams from when Kira was trying to fight off her attacker. Driving toward Atlanta, both he and Bo hadn't said a word in over an hour. What was there really to say? Both were lost in their own thoughts while praying that Kira would be alright.

Worried, Luke glanced over at the passenger seat. Daisy had filled him in on Bo's collapse out back while he had been chopping wood. Apparently, he had been fine one minute then on the ground the next. Bo had told her that he had gotten a sudden pain in his head but it had passed as quickly as it had come. And it had happened just as Kira had been attacked. Luke wasn't sure that the two weren't connected; not with the unusual connection that the twins had.

As Luke drove, Bo was trying to call out to Kira. He hadn't really asked her how she'd finally been able to make her way through to him during the kidnapping before Christmas. He guessed it hadn't really been all that hard. Now, he wished he had since it was clearly more difficult than he had thought.

_'Come on Kira. You got ta answer me.'_

Looking at the road, Bo saw that they probably had at least another half hour before they hit FultonCounty. And that was with Luke breaking every speed law there was. Luke still wouldn't tell him what he heard during the attack. If fact, he hadn't said a word since they had climbed into The General Lee right after Rosco had delivered their papers that allowed them to leave Hazzard.

Bo had been surprised by Rosco's helpfulness. It looked like his genuine affinity for Kira helped make him insist that Boss give the boys permission to head to the hospital, (of course, they would have gone one way or another) though since Luke was considered a witness, Boss might not have had much choice but to give his permission to let them leave for Atlanta. Bo had barely been able to wait for Rosco once he had gotten his over night bag together to leave.

Daisy had gotten Kira's sweats together and packed them up. She had then called Cooter to see if he could come out to help out at the farm. She was certain that the boys wouldn't be back for a several days. And while Jesse would try to carry on with the chores alone, Daisy didn't want him to have to. Cooter was on his way out to the farm as the boys drove out heading toward the hospital in Atlanta.

* * *

True to his word, Officer Lyons had someone waiting to speak with Luke when they got to the hospital. Even though it was probably the last thing that he wanted to do, Luke headed the officer's way when they walked in through the hospital doors. Glancing to his cousin at his side, he decided that doing this with Bo at his side would be the last thing that he'd want to do. He didn't need to hear this.

"Bo, why don't you go see what you can find out about Kira while I go and talk to the officer?"

If Bo wasn't so worried about his sister, he would have argued the point that he wanted to hear just what he planned to tell the police officer about what he had heard during the attack. Instead, he went straight to the Emergency Room desk and asked the nurse about his sister. Without learning anything, he was simply given some forms to fill out and was informed that someone would be out to speak with him soon.

Turning back around, Bo saw neither Luke nor the cop who had been waiting on them to arrive. With nothing left to do, Bo sat down and commenced with the paperwork while waiting for word on his sister. Luke still hadn't returned back to the waiting room when a nurse came in to tell Bo that Kira had been moved to a room and that he could sit with his sister while he waited for the doctor.

He left word for Luke at the desk about where he was and followed the nurse.

* * *

Luke walked into Kira's hospital room and stood by the door not really ready for what he saw. In fact, if Bo hadn't been sitting in the chair beside the bed, he would have sworn he had to be in the wrong room. Kira's face was so swollen that he couldn't even recognize her face through the mass of bruises. Her left arm was in a cast and the foot of the bed was elevated. Luke walked over and put a hand on Bo's shoulder.

"Hey. Has the doctor come in yet?"

Bo looked up at Luke and nodded. "Yeh. She's got two broken ribs, a broken arm, a dislocated knee-cap, a collapsed lung, a couple fractures in her face; one in her left cheek bone, the other in her right jaw. The doctor said something about head trauma, but they won't know how bad that is until she wakes up. They said she was..." Bo turned back to Kira choking on the next words. Bo's voice hardened as he asked, "Do they know who did this to her?"

"No. They're gonna go over some of her past cases to make sure that this isn't connected to any of them. To make sure someone hadn't decided to take out how they felt about a verdict on their lawyer." Luke pulled up the remaining chair in the room up next to Bo. "The cop said that her apartment will be off-limits until after the CSU had gone through it. It's a good thing we brought her some clothes from home. She's going to want something other than that hospital gown to wear just as soon as she wakes up. We won't be able to get into her apartment until at least Monday."

Luke knew that he had to try to give his cousin something to hold on to but he didn't have anything to give. It hadn't even been three months since Bo learned that he had a sister and here he had nearly lost her.

He remembered how he had felt when he had been sure that he'd lost Judd. When the car had gone in the pond with him and the crooks that had planned to kill him trapped inside, Bo had pulled Judd from the car and saved him from the fate of drowning. Bo had saved his brother, but what had Luke done? Sit helpless on the other end of the phone with nothing to do but listen as Kira was assaulted.

**_Luke isn't the oldest suppose to help PROTECT the younger ones?_**

"Luke. Are you listening to me?"

Luke looked up and realized that Bo had been talking to him. "Huh? Sorry Cuz. You say something?"

Bo looked at his cousin studying his face. He recognized that look.

"Luke, none of this is your fault. You probably saved her life. If you hadn't been on the phone with her, sent help, no one would have gone looking for her until Monday. You did good Luke. You kept your head and got Kira some help." Bo looked Luke dead in the eye, "No one could have done better. You SAVED her. You hear me?"

Luke nodded his head though he didn't look convinced so Bo added, "Besides, you said it yourself. After sickin' Pauline on her, Kira was ready to nail our hides to the wall; I don't doubt she'll do it, too. She can be more dangerous than Daisy with a fryin' pan. Kira ain't goin' no where until she sees us get what's comin' to us."

One of Bo's gifts had always been to make people laugh. Watching Luke now, that gift just failed him.

* * *

Two days later, Kira woke up to the feeling of choking. Panicking, Kira realized that something was blocking her throat.

"Relax. You're alright." Bo took her hand in one of his as he stroked his sister's hair out of her eyes.

With tears burning her eyes,_ 'I can't breathe!'_

_'Calm down. You're on a ventilator. Just relax. You'll be able to breathe just fine.'_ Kira tightened her grip on Bo's hand as she tried to force herself to relax. After a few minutes, she lightened her grip on Bo's hand. _'That's better.'_

_'Why am I here? What happened?'_

_'You don't remember?'_

_'No, what happened. Why am I...What am doing here?'_

_'Kira you were attacked...in your apartment.'_

Kira's eyes went wide. ATTACKED! At HOME! Of all the places, she would never of thought that she could have been anything but safe in her apartment? Her apartment was in one of the best areas in the city. It was supposed to be one of the safest buildings in Atlanta. She paid enough for it. She spent nearly her entire paycheck on the rent on that apartment.

_'Luke was on the phone with ya when it happened.'_

Closing her eyes, Kira tried to remember what had happened after she had left work but it only made her head hurt. In fact, everything hurt. Bo saw the pained expression on his sister's face. While not all of it may be physical, enough of it was.

_'I'll get a nurse. Tell them you're awake. That way they can give you something for the pain.'_

Bo stepped outside of the door just far enough to get a nurse's attention. He told her that his sister was awake and he thought she needed some pain medication. The nurse came in to check Kira before saying she'd let the doctor know of the change in her condition. That left Bo alone with his sister again. He told her what most of her injuries were, not sure if she could handle complete honesty just yet. Faster than Bo thought possible at a hospital, someone came to take Kira to get some scans now that she was awake to find out just how extensive her head injury was.

With Kira gone, Bo went to find the others at the cafeteria. Jesse and Daisy had driven up right after the morning chores, without even going to church. Everyone in Hazzard knew that if Jesse Duke wasn't in church on Sunday morning, then nothing short of a tragedy had struck the clan. Luke had gone with them and Bo hoped that Jesse would talk to him. He knew that Luke was still blaming himself for not being able to stop the attack. No matter how much Bo told him that feeling like that was ridicules. He had been hundreds of miles away. And he still wouldn't talk to anyone about what he had heard.

Bo was worried about Luke; probably as worried as he was for Kira.

* * *

Jesse could see that his oldest wasn't holding up as well as he claimed the moment he saw him. He had hoped to be able to come up sooner but J.D had been stubborn when Daisy had asked for a few days off to come up with the boys. He had to give Luke permission to go to Atlanta and Jesse had been surprised that Rosco had stood his ground and insisted that since Kira was Bo's sister, so he had to go too. That had helped the boys but had caused Boss to dig his heels in when it came to giving Daisy some time off.

It was only after Jesse had sought out Lulu's help that Boss had finally relented and given Daisy some time off while Kira was hospitalized. He knew from talking to Bo that Luke had refused to tell anyone (except the police) what he had heard on the phone. He didn't know what Luke thought that he could have done, but he had to find some way to snap Luke out of it. Looking up from their hospital lunch, Jesse spied Bo walking toward them.

"She's awake." The three Dukes at the table all breathed a collective sigh of relief. "They took her for some scans and said that they'll let us know when she's back. They'll look for us in the family waiting room. But we have at least an hour."

Bo sat and joined the rest of the family. Strangely relieved now that his sister had woken up even though he knew that the next several days (no, make that weeks) will be difficult. For everyone, but for two Dukes especially.

* * *

**_Luke isn't the oldest suppose to help PROTECT the younger ones?_**

Luke sat watching Kira sleep. She'd been taken off the ventilator that morning, since she was fighting it so much (even though her breathing was still a bit labored), just before the others had left to go clean her apartment up. Bo had gone reluctantly considering he was the only one in the family who had been there before. Only Bo knew how to get to it.

Luke stayed behind to watch over Kira while they were gone. Truth be told, he was torn between wanting to go and see the evidence of the assault first hand before cleaning it up and not wanting to have more proof of what he already knew, too well, confirmed before his eyes.

He really didn't need anyone else trying to talk to him right now, neither. Everyone kept praising him for his quick thinking that had gotten help for Kira but sitting beside her hospital bed, he just couldn't see that he had done nearly enough. If his job as the oldest was to protect his cousins from harm, well, he'd failed. He'd failed Kira. He had heard her screams for help as he had sat helpless hundreds of miles away.

Luke blinked back the tears that he hadn't allowed to fall. It won't happen again. He'd find a way to make sure that nothing like this could happen again.

"Excuse me; I had hoped that Kira would be awake. I'll come back later."

Luke looked up and saw an older man, maybe Jesse's age, in a suit at the door. He was carrying a vase of mixed flowers that had to have come from a florist.

"Can I help you? I'm Luke Duke. Kira's cousin." Luke got up and shook the man's hand that wasn't holding the flowers.

"I'm Paul White. I'm Kira's boss. The office took up for the flowers. Thought she might like them. I didn't know what had happened until this morning when I went in early for our meeting. I tell you what, you tell her for me that there's no hurry to come back. You hear. And if she's still interested in that new job offer, it'll be hers when ever she's ready. No rush. I'll just be on my way and go ahead and head out." Paul put the flowers on the side table and turned to leave.

"Wait a minute. I'm confused. What job offer?"

"Oh, I guess this all happened so fast, she hadn't been able to tell ya'll the good news. You see, Old Man Pritchet in HatchapeeCounty, the lead prosecutor over there, is just itchin' to retire. His assistant would take over for him, but that leaves a job opening for an assistant prosecutor over in Hatchapee."

"Hatchapee! Well that is just the next county over from Hazzard."

"I know, that's what she told me. Said that taking that job would put her right in her family's lap." Paul gave a weak laugh at the joke Kira had made when offered the position. "But that don't matter none. It'll be hers when she wants it. You give her all of our best, ya hear?"

With that, Paul left, leaving Luke to think about the possibility of Kira being moved closer to home where she'd be safe.

Luke walked back over to Kira and saw her moving around in a way that told him that she was reliving the assault. She may not be able to remember much while she was awake (thanks to the head trauma), but there was nothing wrong with her memory while she was asleep. Luke put a comforting hand on her arm but she jerked away.

"Shh. It's alright, darlin. It's alright."

Kira awoke with a start and looked around to get her bearings. When her eyes fell on Luke, she started to cry as she buried her face into the front of Luke's shirt. He sat on the side of the bed and just held Kira as she cried.

"It'll be alright, you're safe now. I ain't gonna let no one else hurt 'cha."

* * *

Back at Kira's apartment, Daisy and Jesse were still busy trying to clean up from the assault on Friday night. Bo had been sent to get some more cleaning supplies. Truth was, Daisy saw that Bo had just about ripped the carpet up where he had been scrubbing trying to get rid of the stain that Kira's blood had left.

The whole place was a mess but it was clear that Kira had been attacked in the living room. Both from the stains on the floor, and from the hole in the plaster that showed where Kira had been thrown against the wall. Daisy figured that he needed to get out for a while. She couldn't believe just how much debris was strewn around the apartment.

Every drawer had been dumped; everything that could be broke was broken. Plates, lamps, glasses, the television, chairs, it even looked like the intruder had taken the time to shred some paper over near where the bloodstains in the carpet were. There had been a whole big pile of it there. From what Daisy could tell, it had been nothing but a road map. Why someone would take the time to shred it was beyond her.

In Kira's bedroom, Daisy went to try to salvage some of her clothes. She wasn't sure she'd be able to. They all looked pretty much ruined. Daisy shook her head as she thought of the mess and how much time it would take to clean up everything. She didn't know if her cousin would want to return to her apartment, but if she did, she didn't need to see this mess.

Getting busy once again, Daisy grabbed some more bags and sorted through yet more of the debris left by Kira's assailant.

* * *

Days later, Kira was finally released from the hospital. Physically, there was nothing left that the doctors could do. The emotional healing would take time and the doctors felt that the best place for her to be would be surrounded by her family. So it was decided that Kira would be taken straight out to the farm. It only made sense that she'd go to the farm. Especially since Luke told everyone that as soon as she was ready, Kira had a job waiting for her in Hatchapee.

Jesse had been surprised by how easily Kira agreed. Of course, since her assault, she had begun to retreat into herself. It may not have been so much that she had agreed, she just didn't fight it. Jesse and Daisy went ahead fixed up the guest room and Daisy did her best to make it Kira's with what had been salvaged from her apartment.

Luke had gone back as well to help Jesse get caught up on the farm chores that had gone undone while he and Bo had been in Atlanta. Bo drove Kira to Hazzard in her truck and did his best to try to lighten Kira's mood. He tried to talk to her about the upcoming planting season, the races that he and Luke planned to enter. Anything he could think of. Instead of responding to his efforts, Kira just stared out the window unmoving the whole long drive to Hazzard.


	23. Facing Inner Demons

**Chapter 23: Facing Inner Demons**

* * *

Kira watched as the fellas practically fell UP the stairs on their way to their room to turn in for the night. Planting season was in full swing now and by the end of each day, it was about all that they could do to finish their evening chores before falling into bed. It looked as if now was as good a time as any to do what she had planned. She hadn't stepped outside of Hazzard since she had left Atlanta. Now with her cast off her arm and not really needing the brace on her knee anymore, Kira figured that she had a personal matter that she needed to attend to.

Alone.

Kira walked into the kitchen where Jesse was cleaning out the coffee pot and getting it ready for the next morning. She wasn't sure how Jesse would react to what she had planned. She knew that both of the boys would try to either go with her or stop her altogether. Kira hoped Jesse would understand that this was something that she had to do without anyone else holding her hand. She had to know if she could, like it or not. She had to know if she was strong enough.

"Uncle Jesse, can I talk to you?"

"Sure you can, Baby Girl. What's on your mind?"

Kira fought a grin as Jesse called her the nickname that he'd developed the habit of calling her since she'd come to live at the farm. She wasn't sure she'd ever get used to it but she had no plans of trying to stop Jesse from using it.

"I'm planning to..." Kira paused, as she gathered her nerve. "I'm planning to drive in to Atlanta tomorrow to take care of some unfinished business."

Jesse was taken a back by his youngest's announcement. She had rarely left the farm in the last couple of months. The few times that she had left for a doctor's appointment or some other errand, one of the others had always gone with her. But Atlanta, the last time she had been in Atlanta...

"I'm sure I could spare one of the fellas for a day to go with you. I'll call J.D. in the morning to see about-"

"I'm going alone Jesse." Kira stared at her uncle hoping that he wouldn't insist on one of the others going along with her. "That's why I didn't say nothing while they were down here. I know that they'd insist on coming with me. This is something that I _have_ to do alone. I have to see if I _can_ do it alone."

Jesse looked into Kira's eyes and saw a shadow of something that he'd not seen in his niece's eyes since she had been in Hazzard; a spark, an ember that spoke of the fire that once lit her eyes. He saw that Kira was trying to piece her life back together from the shredded pieces that it had been reduced to after she had been assaulted in her own apartment. If this was what she had to do to bring back that fire in her eyes, he really didn't think he could stand in the way of it. Plus, he noticed, she wasn't asking for his permission, only his understanding.

"Alright. Them boys ain't goin' to like it. But I understand. How long will you be gone?"

"I'll be back the day after tomorrow. I'll only be gone for one night. I still have some things that I need to pick up from my old office and talk to a few people, too."

Jesse nodded his understanding. "Well, it looks like you've got a long drive ahead of you in the morning. You'd better head off and get some sleep. Night, Baby Girl."

He had almost leaned in for a hug like he would for Daisy but stopped himself. Kira had gone back to pulling away from anyone who had touched her again so he merely smiled at her instead.

"Night, Uncle Jesse."

* * *

Kira had decided to get up early the next morning, really early. It would still be a while before the rest of the family would wake up to start another day of working out in the fields. She got her bag together the day before and put it in her truck so all she had to do was to get dressed and head out. She was certain that the moment she cranked her truck up, the rest of the farm would be awake. She only hoped that Jesse would be able to keep everyone else from following after her.

Luke had been awakened by hearing movement in the downstairs hall. From the footsteps, he could tell that Kira was awake. After looking at the clock he realized that she must have had trouble sleeping again. Otherwise she'd never be up so early on her own. He heard the screen door open and figured that Kira planned to sit on the swing for a while. He'd done that on occasion himself. He turned over and tried to go back to sleep. When he heard Kira's truck fire up and slowly pull out of the yard, Luke bolted up off of his bed. Grabbing his jeans, he hastily got dressed as he looked out the window and saw his cousin drive off.

"What is she thinking? Going off in the middle of the night. It ain't safe," Luke muttered under his breath then hurled a pillow at Bo to wake him up.

"Wha..." Bo sat up and saw Luke getting dressed in record speed. "What's going on? What time is it?"

"Just after four thirty in the morning. And Kira just drove out of here."

"What!"

Luke wasn't sure what Bo was more upset about. Kira driving off or the time.

"Come on. Something must be wrong." Luke headed out the door and found Uncle Jesse waiting for him.

"Now you just get back in there. That girl don't want the two of you chasin' her down. She told me she was headin' out today and didn't want no interference from the two of you."

"You knew she was leavin' out? Where?"

Jesse nodded at Luke's question. "She's headin' into Atlanta to take care of somethings. Things that she has to do alone. She didn't want you two there." Jesse stopped and knew that the only way he'd keep his nephews from jumping into The General, was to give them orders to do something else. "But, as long as you're already up, you might as well as get an early start on them chores. We've got a lot of work to do today."

With that, Jesse headed on down stairs to start on breakfast.

"Well Bo, what do you think she's doing?" Luke looked over at Bo as he spoke and saw he had his head in his hands. "Wake up!"

"I am awake." Bo tried to tune out Luke, but not to go back to sleep. _'Kira, what do you think you're doing?'_

_'Trying to get my life back. Now leave me be. Okay. I'll see you when I get back tomorrow. Just let me try to do this, PLEASE!'_

_'Alright. Alright. But you holler if you need me. Okay.'_

_'I will.'_

With that, Kira was gone. Bo hoped that she knew what she was doing. He hoped that she was ready for whatever she found in Atlanta.

* * *

Kira's hand was practically shaking as she put her key in the door to her apartment. Even though the others had packed up what was left of her belongings months ago, the apartment was still hers. She still had another four months left on her lease and she needed to come back, at least this once. Before she took any other steps to re-piece her life together, she had to take this one first. She pushed the door forward and forced herself to step across the threshold.

The apartment looked different from the last time that she'd been in it. The carpet had been replaced and, since it was a furnished apartment, the furniture had been as well. Out of habit, Kira tossed her bag that she had brought with her onto the sofa. As she did so, the events of the last time she was here came rushing back to her.

_Kira was getting her key into the door as she heard the phone ring inside her apartment. Pushing the door opened, she tossed her bag onto the sofa as she picked up the phone just as her machine had kicked in. _

_"Hello?"_

_"Kira? Didn't think you were home. I was going to just leave a message to ask how your week's gone so far. Anything interesting happen?"_

_"Real cute Luke. You know damned well that Pauline came to see me last night."_

_"Hey, it was Bo's idea. Not mine."_

_"And you just went right on ahead and helped him with it too, didn't you?"_

_"Bo figured that you might as well go ahead and get your initiation into the Duke clan in to make it official. All of us have had to fend off Pauline at one time or another. It was just your turn."_

_"Luke isn't the oldest suppose to help PROTECT the younger ones. Not feed them to the wolves! You could have at least of given me a little warning." _

_Kira grabbed the phone cradle so she could walk around. She wasn't really as mad as she sounded. Probably since she already had her revenge planned out but Luke didn't know that. With a smile on her face, she figured she'd see if she could make Luke squirm. _

_Kira went over to the map that she had placed on the wall to stare at it as she had develop a tendency to do since putting it up. She had several points to add to it after she got off the phone, but for now, she might as well give her cousin what for. He had it coming and he knew it. _

_"It would have served ya'll right if'n I had driven Pauline all the way to Hazzard and dropped her off on ya'll's doorstep." _

_Luke was busy laughing at Kira's ranting as she looked at the map and saw a message in red marker written across it. _

**_TURN AROUND_**

_"What the Hell?" Kira turned her head just in time to see her lamp being wielded and was headed straight for her head._

_Pain exploded in her head as she stumbled and dropped the phone. Looking up, Kira saw a large mountain of a man as he reached for her and threw her up against the wall._

_"Somebody help me!" _

_She tried to get to her feet but her right knee wouldn't support her weight. Instead, she brought her arms up to try to protect her face as she saw the man begin to bring his hand down hard again. Kira rolled to her side to minimize the damage the man was inflicting. _

_There was only one way that she saw that she could defend herself. Kira tried to reach for her ankle holster. She was just about able to pull her gun when she felt a vice like grip clamp down on her wrist. She kept struggling but the man was just too strong. He continued to pummel Kira as she was quickly tiring from her efforts to get away from the intruder and trying to protect herself._

_After the intruder turned her over, she felt the tug of her clothing. _

_"Get OFF of me!"_

**KNOCK, KNOCK**

Kira was brought out of her flashback as there was a knock at the door. Looking at the door, she didn't really know if she wanted to open it. After another knock, she went over to pull it open.

"Bo Duke, I told you I wanted to do this alone!" Kira shouted as she yanked on the door.

"Now I may be a blond and I may be a Duke, but I ain't Bo." Standing there, leaning against the door frame, was Jebb.

"They called you." It was a statement, not a question. He shrugged his shoulders; it wasn't like the statement really needed an answer.

"During breakfast." Kira went to look at her watch. She knew that it would have taken her nearly three times as long to drive here from Hazzard as it would have taken Jebb from Placid. Seeing what she was doing, Jebb added, "I figured that the best compromise was to come but give you some time to do what you had to do before I came up."

"So just how long have you been waiting on me?"

Again, he shrugged, "I waited nearly an hour, figured that it was probably enough time."

Kira again checked her watch; she couldn't have already been here at the apartment that long. But she had. "Come on in. You might as well... So no one thought I could do this, huh?"

"I don't think it was so much as they didn't think you _could_. It was that they didn't think that you _should_."

"So much for doing this alone." Kira walked over to the couch and slumped onto it.

Jebb walked over and joined her. "Haven't you learned yet that Dukes rarely do anything alone? We do best when we travel in pairs."

"I don't ever recall you travellin' in a pair."

"Sure I did." Jebb gave her his best Duke grin. "I just didn't know I was at the time." Kira gave a weak laugh as he referred to their racing together. "And it could have been worse."

"How so?"

"Be glad that **I** answered the phone this morning instead of my mother."

"That is not funny!" Kira gave Jebb a cross look though Jebb saw that she was fighting a smile as she said it.

"Sure it is. Of course, I think you've been through enough without throwing her into the mix. Spending too much time with my mother is enough to qualify you for emergency disaster relief from the good ole U.S. of A."

Despite herself, Kira couldn't help but laugh as Jebb tried to lift her spirits. Maybe having someone else with her wasn't so bad after all.

"Speaking of your mother, how in the world did you get her to let you leave right in the middle of plantin' season? I know how busy everyone is in Hazzard. That's kind of the reason I chose now to do this. How did you get up here to Atlanta?"

"Simple, I went to my pop instead. He understood. Plus, don't tell anyone, but we really have more help than people think out at the farm. Our farm is on land that used to be part of Mom's family land. We all kind of work the plots of land together. So my uncles and cousins on her side are out there and work it the same as we do. In fact, our farm is already seeded. We were goin' to start on my Uncle Carl's today. Out in Hazzard, Jesse and them don't have no one else to help so it all falls on just the three of them. Though Daisy has been known to get out there too; especially during harvestin' when you're tryin' to beat the clock to get the crops in."

Kira nodded her understanding but let it go at that. She got real quiet and Jebb figured that quiet was what she needed. He sat back with his arm across the back of the couch and figured that he'd wait to see if Kira wanted to talk. If not, he wouldn't push her. He remembered how Kira had been when he had first met her; as timid as a turkey before Thanksgiving when it came to touch. He reckoned that he might need to treat her the same way he had when they first met. Letting her choose just how much comfort she'd accept.

So there he sat; the offer of comfort resting on the back of the couch without trying to crowd her. Allowing her the chance to face her inner demons without unwanted interference but ready to help in anyway he could when she wanted it.

After several minutes, Kira leaned back into Jebb's out-stretched arm. Secretly glad that there was someone with her as she continued to remember the horrible day that had changed her life.

* * *

After lunch Kira went to the courthouse to pick up her things. They had been boxed up and stored since real-estate was at a premium in the office. She officially accepted the job in Hatchapee and the transfer paperwork was started. She spoke to a few people in the office before leaving the courthouse for what would be the final time as a public defender with her un-intrusive shadow behind her.

Since he had come along, Kira put Jebb to work carrying the box that her stuff had been put into. It was only after seeing the map that she had been using while digging into the Townsend's past crimes that she recalled that the one that she had kept at her apartment had not been among the items that had been taken out to the farm.

Briefly, she wondered if it had just not seemed important enough to pack up when the others fetched her stuff. Well, at least she had a copy for when she was ready to start digging again.

As the afternoon wore on, Kira told Jebb that she should probably try to see Sam while she was in town.

"Jail-Bait?"

"You know that she hates it when you call her that."

"Hey, it is my honor-bound duty to warn every male of the species that has a pulse that she ain't legal. NO fourteen year old should be allowed to look like they're at least nineteen."

"I think her father would agree with you. And you know, she had a pretty sizeable crush on you until you gave her that nickname. She loved going to the races, too, right up until you got it to where everyone knew her as _'Jail-Bait'_."

"Good, with my probation, I don't need no fourteen year old chasin' after me. What with the fact I've only got a couple of months left, and all, I don't need nothin' to mess that up."

"Speaking of probation, how come the three of ya'll went on probation at about the same time but yours is about up but Bo and Luke's ain't?"

"Simple, my probation officer ain't always findin' ways to tack on time or trying to frame me to send me up the river for a crime I didn't commit."

Kira's face darkened at the mention of Hogg. She still couldn't see how the family could talk about him so casually as if his antics were no more serious than a toddler swiping a cookie before dinner.

"Just as soon as my probation is up, I'll be able to hit a lot more races since I won't have to get written permission for each one."

"Well, it looks like I've been reduced to being a spectator for at least the first half of the season this year. I can't ride just yet with my knee. I guess Bo told the doctor how I ride. He won't release me to race just yet. Though Luke just might have had something to do with that, too. Considering how he's been preoccupied with _safety_ lately. He's been hoverin' over me like a mother hen."

"You'll just have to plan an escape later. Catch everyone at one of the tracks and act like an obnoxious spectator. Jeering the riders and all. Though, maybe a bit more planned than this one was."

"You don't think I took time to plan this one out?"

Jebb grinned, "I'm sure you did, considering that you had Jesse run interference for you. But maybe next time, you won't need it."

"So they won't send you to babysit me then, you mean?"

"I have never known you to need a baby-sitter. And I'm just here as a friend. Not a sitter. I think Bo and Luke would need watchin' after more than you."

Kira laughed as she thought of what the guys would do if they knew that she and Jebb were talking about _them_ needing babysitters. She had missed this. Being out and talking to someone who wasn't looking for her to breakdown at any minute. Everyone had been acting like they were walking on egg shells when ever they were around her. True, when she had first arrived at the farm, she did feel as fragile as the thin glass of a Christmas tree ornament. But for the last couple of weeks, it had begun to grate on her nerves.

When Kira called to set up a meet with Sam, Bryan told her that Sam was at her mother's (whom never really cared for Kira) so she just left her contact information with the promise to call Sam again once she was home. Kira wasn't quite ready to go back to the apartment, so she treated Jebb to a movie to kill time. Despite her bravado of wanting to be in Atlanta alone, she found that the idea of going back to the apartment was a lot harder to cope with than she had thought. Even with Jebb with her. Without him there, she probably would have had to resort to going to a hotel. But she had come all this way to face her fears, not run from them.

As the afternoon turned into evening, the two Dukes returned to the apartment. Going in the second time, as it turned out, was a lot easier than the first. Probably since Jebb had taken it upon himself to keep her mind spinning from all of the various topics that he kept bouncing the conversation around to. He had even decided to ask how Kira had managed to send his mother packing so quickly when she had come to visit her. She told Jebb about his mother believing that Brent and she were dating; which after hearing it, Jebb nearly couldn't stop laughing. He wasn't surprised though that his mother had then still decided that she'd need to come out again. To give Kira a cooking lesson.

Jebb then told of his sisters' latest cooking lesson given by his mother. The twins burnt the meal of chicken and rice to the point that when it had been added to the pigs' slop, they wouldn't even touch it. Kira laughed as she thought about Jebb and his father trying to force down a charcoal dinner so as not to hurt the girls' feelings. Now how many brothers would do that?

The night continued that way, giving Kira little time to dwell on the fact just a couple of months ago, the same room that the two of them were in had been the setting of the nightmares that still plagued her dreams at night.

* * *

The next day, Kira took one final look around her apartment. She knew she wouldn't be coming back. She'd done what she came to do. She knew that this was by far not the end of the healing process. No, this is just where it all had to begin. She had to stand in this spot, and know that she would be okay.

Turning to the empty room, Kira grabbed her overnight bag to get ready to join Jebb at the elevator. He left her alone to do what she felt she had to do, but she knew he wouldn't be far. He really did know her a little too well. Kira smiled at the thought.

Reaching for the door, Kira set her shoulders. It was time to start going forward again. She was tired of spinning her wheels in the past. She walked, firmly shutting the door, and headed out to join her cousin without looking back.


	24. Failed Decoy

**Chapter 24: Failed Decoy**

* * *

Kira made her way to where she saw her cousins and brother hunkered down. She was glad that she had paid attention to both the CB and the small talk going on around the courthouse. Apparently, Boss Hogg has gotten a priceless statue loaned to the Hazzard Art Museum. He framed the Duke boys and claimed that they stole it. By paying attention to the emergency channel, Kira had been able to figure out where everyone was and had shadowed them for a while trying to figure out just what their plan was.

She had the habit of shadowing instead of joining right in since she knew that the rest of the family went out of their way to not involve her in a lot of the goings ons like this. They didn't want her involved in anything that could get dicey for her; with Kira now being a prosecutor in the next county. Plus, despite her insistence to stop coddling her once she had returned from Atlanta, they all still look at her at times as if she was as fragile as a china doll.

Except Uncle Jesse. It didn't take long for him to start treating her like he did all the others. In fact, Kira had earned the punishment of washing dishes for being late for (or missing altogether) dinner three times this week, and it was only Wednesday. Their only major run in after Kira had returned to Hazzard after confronting the memories of the assault that she had endured in her own apartment in Atlanta was about money. Jesse's pride refused to allow her to pay what she considered to be her fair share. Especially since when it came to the household and farm chores, she was dead weight. It was only after she threatened to move out (and actually started to look for a place in Hatchapee) that he finally relent to Kira's insistence that her share was what ever she'd be spending anyway if she left.

Kira had gotten a look at the statue (it was about the size of an Oscar) and then saw what Luke's idea for getting the guards away from it was. Kira hated to tell them but their stand by distraction wouldn't work this time. Not totally at least. Instead of staying back, Kira was practically right on top of the guys before they realized that she was there.

"What are you doin' here? Aren't you suppose to be at work?" Luke and Bo were dividing their attention between Kira and Daisy while Luke spoke.

"I'm here tryin' to help ya'll get out of trouble. Now I have a question? What happens when Daisy can't flirt her way into gettin' the guard away from that statue?"

"It ain't ever happened before. Ain't a man alive that has ever been able to resist her charms."

"Well don't look now, but your about to see a first."

Bo casted a glance to where Daisy was trying to work her usual magic on the nearest guard. "What do ya mean?"

"I just don't think she's his type, is all." Kira watched as it was clear that Daisy wasn't getting anywhere with her targeted guard.

"You think you could do any better?"

"Nope, I wouldn't be his type either."

Bo sent her an odd look, "Just who would be his type then?"

"You." Both the guys snapped their heads around at that. "Or Luke. Maybe he prefers brunettes." Bo's face was priceless as he took in Kira's statement. Luke, however looked like he had just took a sip of soured milk.

"You don't know that." Luke turned back and saw Daisy walk away dejected like.

"I'd bet a month's salary on it. I got in close and heard that one on the phone." Kira paused, "Talkin' to his boyfriend."

Daisy crept in and whispered, "Sorry fellas, he didn't bite."

"Don't worry about it, Daisy. The boys here were fishin' with the wrong kind of bait."

Kira smirked before Luke told Daisy what Kira told them, then they each began to discuss their options. Daisy half jokingly suggested that one of the guys simply take her place. Not being able to resist, Luke nudged Bo.

"Go ahead Bo. You're supposed to be the _pretty_ one. Be my guest."

"Are you kiddin'? If that guard was a woman, I'd've be down there already, but I ain't goin' down there to flirt with no man!" The debate continued as to just how they were going to get the statuette away from the guards Hogg had hired to keep the Dukes away. It was only when Kira's truck pulled directly up to the guards and she stepped out of it did any of the others realize that she was no longer with them.

"What does she think she's doin'?" Luke looked at Bo who had no answers.

* * *

Kira got out of the truck and walked straight toward the guards as if she own the warehouse that they were held up in. Spotting her, the guards went to raise their guns in her direction.

"Do that and my sharp-shooter up on the ridge will use you as target practice." Kira told them while speaking in a thick Irish accent. "Boss sent me to pick up the statue. There's reason to believe that you fools led the Dukes here. He wants it moved now before they try anything."

"Wait a minute, just who are you? You don't sound like you're from around here."

"Erin Calhoun. IRA. Just who did you think Boss got this statue for? Even after Hogg takes a cut, when we sell this, it will bring a handsome profit to help the Irish. Now, have you noticed anyone peculiar around here?"

"Just some girl claiming to have car trouble. Asked if we'd help her out."

"You didn't leave your post, did you?"

"Nah. Sent her packing."

"Burraidh (fool)! That must have been one of them Dukes. Ní mórán thú! (You are worthless!) That just PROVES that you led them here. We have to hurry up and move that statue. Hurry."

* * *

"They think she's with the IRA. They actually think she's Irish and got Boss to get that statue so she could sell it for the Irish."

Bo could hardly keep from laughing. As soon Kira had jumped out of the truck, Bo practically screamed at her through their link. Instead of answering him when he asked what she thought she was doing, she just opened their link so he could hear everything she heard. It only took a minute for Bo to realize, that Kira's plan just might work.

* * *

The guards set to moving the statue. Kira had them place the statue in the truck, after she explained that the windows were tinted for the explicit reason of making sure she could transport it without Hogg's nemeses, namely the Dukes, spying the treasure. Kira found that this was just a bit too easy. Plus, she knew that if she wanted to get away before she busted out laughing, she'd better hurry up. As the guards finished the loading, Kira called to them for a bit more instruction.

"Fuirich ort! (Hang on!) Hogg wanted me to tell you one more thing. Those rotten Dukes are known to imitate him and his sheriff. If you get a call on the phone or CB, assume it's one of them. Hogg will come out in person to talk to you. Don't trust anyone who calls because it won't be one of them. Is that understood?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Good, now, make it look like you're still guarding the statue just in case them Dukes come back."

With that, Kira hopped into her truck and drove away. She arranged it with Bo to meet her out at the junction just a couple of miles up the road to make the exchange so that he and Luke could get the statue back to the Museum.

* * *

"I can't believe she did that! What if they hadn't been convinced?"

"We would've rushed in and helped her. And she knew that. Same as if something went wrong with Daisy," Bo answered as he glance over at Luke in the passenger seat.

"You have to admit, it was different, Luke. Boss would never have expected it," Daisy chime in from the back seat. "And the way she just drove on up and started giving orders, that was the best shuck 'n jive that I'd seen in a while."

"Hey, Luke. Now that we have that statue, how do we get it back to the museum?"

"I haven't figured that part out yet. There's Kira up ahead. Pull over, Bo."

Before Bo came to a complete stop, Luke was out of The General and headed over to where Kira was standing by her truck. "What do you think you were doing back there? Just running in without a word to no one?"

"I was gettin' the statue back for ya. You're welcomed by the way. You two had better get it back safe and sound to the museum before Hogg realizes that it's gone."

"She's right, Luke. Grab it and let's go."

Kira put a hand on Luke's arm to stop him. "Ya'll better take the truck. Takin' it in The General Lee is like drivin' around with a bright neon flashin' light say 'COME GET US!'. And as long as ya'll keep it under a hundred, ya'll won't have any trouble with Rosco. He'll think you're me."

Luke thought for a second before agreeing with her. "Come on, Bo. Let's hit it." The fellas jumped into the truck as Kira went over to the orange stock car.

"Daisy, I'll need you to drop me off back over in Capital City," Kira said as the guys sped out towards town.

"Sure thing, honey. Wait 'til Sheriff Loomis sees us a comin'. He'll think that the fellas are breakin' probation and will figure that he'd caught 'em for sure. And with The General drivin' all over, folks'll never look for and expect that they're in town."

"Well, let's go. I better get back to the courthouse." Kira jumped in and Daisy turned the car towards Hatchapee.

_'Kira, we ain't havin' no problem with Rosco, but what's your plan to ditch Enos?'_

Kira grabbed the CB and smiled. "Kira Kyle calling Sheriff Rosco. Could you do me a favor. I'm in a bit of a hurry. I've got to get back to the courthouse before I'm fined for contempt. Could ya have Enos break off his pursuit and just mail me the ticket. I ain't got time to stop."

_"You dip-stick! You are supposed to be lookin' for Bo and Luke! Leave that girl alone!"_

_"But Sheriff, you told me to stop everyone that travels down this road!"_

_"Now you just HUSH and keep your eyes peeled for them boys and that you know what!"_

Kira and Daisy busted out laughing as Rosco continued to berate the deputy.

"Kira, you think anyone will notice that your truck is heading in the wrong direction if you're in a hurry to go to Hatchapee?"

"Not until it's too late I hope. But I really do need to get back to the courthouse. So let's book it."

With that, Daisy began to take a few short cuts that even Bo would be proud of. With dust getting kicked up in a cloud, The General sped toward the county line.

* * *

Kira was sitting at her desk finishing up some paper work while she waited for a ride back to Hazzard. Looking at the clock, she thought that at least today she'd have a good reason for being late for supper. Bo had let her know that the statue was back safe and sound at the museum and that after the scare of believing that it was gone, the museum that it was on loan from insisted on extra security. It looked like Hogg won't be selling that thing now, or sending Bo and Luke to prison for its theft since it obviously wasn't stolen anymore.

Hopefully, Jesse would be the one to pick her up instead of one of the guys since Daisy should be at work by now. The fellas had pushed their luck enough for one day without coming across the county line to pick her up. Of course, as long as they brought the truck, and stayed in it without getting out, no one would be the wiser. She should have known that Bo wouldn't be able to resist tempting fate just one more time for the day.

_'Hey Kira! Your chariot awaits.'_

Kira looked at the wall clock to check the time. _'Looks like we'll both be doing dishes tonight. I'LL dry. You can wash em.'_

Kira packed up for the day and walked out of the courthouse spying her truck across the street. Well at least he didn't bring The General. If he had, she probably would have had to of jumped in while he was being chased by Sheriff Loomis. Getting into the passenger side, Kira gave Bo a measured look.

"Being chased by one county's law enforcement in one day not enough for you? Ditching Loomis wouldn't be as easy as out-running Rosco and Enos."

"I could have brought The General instead." Bo grinned as he steered the truck through town to head back to Hazzard.

"I'm half surprised that you didn't." Kira laughed as she shook her head at her brother.

"Well, I might have if the shocks didn't go out on it. We finally jumped the pond one too many times. Cooter's gonna call an order into Atlanta tomorrow. Until then, The General is grounded. Shouldn't take long, then we'll have to get 'em ready for the openin' race next weekend."

"Well, with some of the stunts that Hogg has pulled in the past to try to keep ya'll out of the race, ya might want to put that car under lock and key to keep it safe."

"Maybe," Bo laughed. "And here I thought that having a lawyer livin' out at the farm would give Boss a reason to lay off a bit. Seems like he just makes sure you're out of the county when he sends Rosco to arrest us. At least he don't come at meal time no more."

"Oh, so that's why you eat your food like it might disappear at any minute. And here I thought that it was just that you were a bottomless pit." Kira grinned as Bo gave here a sideways look.

As they crossed into Hazzard, Bo had asked Kira where she learned to speak with such a convincing accent.

"Ben had friends in Ireland, he took me over. Of course, 'American Yanks' weren't exactly popular over there at the time. Ben's friends pretty much made sure that we all dressed like locals and didn't talk that much in public. I was goofing around one night and tried to imitate his friends, and I guess I wasn't all that bad. They started teaching me a little Gaelic and by the end of the trip I was able to pass some what."

"So now you're fluent in Gaelic?"

"Not exactly, I got the accent down. I learned enough choice phrases to pass. Of course, as long as you have the accent, all you have to do is throw in a few swear words and insults mixed in with your English to convince non-native speakers into thinking that you are. And those buffoons today, heck, I could have spoken gibberish and they wouldn't have known the difference."

"True. Boss never has been known to hire the brightest, just the cheapest." Bo laughed then thought that he might want to warn Kira before they got out the farm. "You do realize that Luke was ready to throttle you when you went down there to the warehouse alone, don't ya? He didn't find that stunt all that funny."

Kira shrugged, "He'll get over it. It wasn't anymore dangerous than the fool stunts that ya'll usually end up doin' on a near weekly basis."

Bo had to admit, she was right about how today's stunt paled in comparison to some of his and Luke's past exploits. He had tried to tell that to Luke, too, but it hadn't really made much of a difference. Luke still hadn't been thrilled with Kira's solution to their need to get that statue back. But it had all worked out just fine. Now, Bo figured that he'd better burn rubber or else he and Kira really would be stuck washing them dishes.

* * *

Bo and Kira pulled up to the farm just as Jesse put dinner on the table. It looked like they had made it just in time for supper, just barely.

Over dinner Bo was having a ball filling Uncle Jesse in on the events of the day. Kira noticed that the whole time Bo was laughing, and adding a few embellishments here and there, Luke was sullenly silent. Not a grin or event a scowl made an appearance on Luke's face as the story was retold for their uncle's benefit. Halfway through the meal, Luke declared that he had some extra chores that he needed to attend to and excused himself from the table. Though not without making one last declaration.

"Next time, Kira. Let us handle things. The last thing we need is for you to go runnin' off and gettin' yourself killed like you could have done today."

With that Luke stalked off and headed out to the barn with the three remaining family members staring after him. It only took a second though before Kira jumped up from the table to follow after him.

"Now wait just a damned minute!" With that Kira was out the door with Bo getting up to follow after the two.

"Sit down, Bo. Them two have to work this out for themselves." Jesse looked at his nephew and gave him a reassuring smile. "Besides, you think you know who's side you'd want to take when it comes to them two?"

Bo stopped to think about that for a second. "Nah, I reckon not."

With that, Bo sat back down as Jesse had told him to and waited for his sister and cousin to come back inside.

* * *

"You mind explainin' to me just what that was all about back there?"

"I ain't got time. I got chores." With that Luke turned back to Maudine's stall and began to clean it out.

"That's bull and you know it. You've already cleaned out that stall once today. So unless she's as full of shit as you are, it don't need no cleanin' up again today!"

With that, Luke spun around on Kira and narrowed his eyes just a bit. "You should have let us handle gettin' that statue back today!"

"Upset that I proved that you ain't the only one that can come up with a hair-brained scheme on the fly?"

"Hair-brained is right. You could have gotten yourself killed takin' an unnecessary risk. If them fellas hadn't bought that half-baked story you gave em-"

"Luke, you're one to be talkin' about takin' unnecessary risks. Since I've been in Hazzard, I've seen you and Bo get chased, shot at, nearly fall off buildings because you were walkin' around rooftops as casually as strollin' down the sidewalk, and jumpin' from one movin' car to another as they were both barreling down road. And you are worried about a little shuck 'n jive!"

"You mean you've heard about all them things."

"I said what I meant, Lukas. You really think that today was the first time that I shadowed ya'll?"

Luke's face took on a strange look as he realized just how many times Kira had put herself so close to various scrapes in the last couple of months without any of them even realizing it. "Oh well that's just FINE! The point is that it's my job to watch after the rest of ya'll. Now how am I suppose to do that if you go off, runnin' head first into trouble all the time?"

Kira was about to holler back again about how she wasn't the one that seemed to go diving into the deep end of the pool that had done been drained of water on a regular basis. That was until she felt bells start ringing inside. Why was it that what Luke had just said seemed to have an extra edge to it?

_**"Luke isn't the oldest suppose to help PROTECT the younger ones?"**_

So that is what all this is about. Kira felt the fight leave her. Luke was trying to do something that he hadn't been able to do when she was in Atlanta. Protect her.

_**"I ain't gonna let no one else hurt 'cha."**_

"Luke," Kira let out a breath. She knew that Luke had taken her assault hard. He had been stuck in Hazzard listening through the phone as she had been attacked and he hadn't been able to do anything to stop it. "When I said that, I was just teasing about Pauline. That had nothing to do with what happened in Atlanta. There is nothing that you could have done that you didn't do. You got help to me when no one else could have."

"Well I still made a promise to ya to make sure-"

"And I ain't gonna hold ya to it. Listen to me Lukas. Tryin' to keep me from life, ain't gonna keep me from death. It'll just make the time between point A and point B awful boring in the process. Besides, if I was goin' to an early grave, it would have happened long before now. Before I ended up with an over-protective family to watch my back."

Kira smiled a little at her own small joke. She saw that she wasn't really getting through to Luke's thick head. He had blamed himself for something that hadn't really been in his power to control for far too long.

"Luke, what happened in January is over. We both have to find a way to move on. Otherwise, we let it happen all over again everyday that we let that day affect today. And I can't stand to live through that on a daily basis." Kira surprised herself and Luke by leaning in to both give and take reassurance from Luke.

Luke wrapped both arms around Kira and let himself release the emotions that he'd been holding inside. Today, as he watched Kira down at the warehouse, he had felt nearly as helpless as he had months earlier. But this time, if something had gone wrong, he'd have had a visual aide to add to his nightmares. Not just an audio-track.

"Do me a favor. Just try stayin' out of trouble, will ya?"

Kira leaned back and tried to laugh, wondering just when she had begun to cry. Though, it looked like she wasn't the only one with damp eyes just now. "That mean that you're gonna stop bein' such a jackass?"

"Nope."

To that Kira grinned. "At least you're honest. Hey Maudine. Looks like you ain't the most stubborn mule on the farm after all. Luke here has ya beat."

Luke shook his head at Kira as she kidded him. "I have to be, look at what I have to deal with." Kira sent him an elbow to his side as he kidded her right back. "And when did you pick up Bo's habit of calling me Lukas when you're mad? Here I've tried to get him to stop and now you're doin' it too."

"Bo said that it's always been one sure fire way to stop ya long enough to listen to whatever's bein' said. Looks like he's mostly right."

The two cousins then started to head back to the house. Kira was trying to think of a way though to shake Luke from his funk. Well, she knew one way. After all, it seemed to her that she'd never got Bo and Luke for sicking Pauline on her back at the start of the year.


	25. The Prank

**Chapter 25: The Prank**

* * *

Kira made sure that she'd left the office early. She wouldn't be late today for anything in the world. She knew that the fellas would be at The Boar's Nest soon. That's when the fun will begin. This time of day was usually pretty dead at the old Road-House but that was fine with her. She had arranged everything with Daisy who had only been too willing to help Kira with her set up. Now, there was only one thing left to do to set this plan into motion.

Pulling up into the parking lot, Kira spied The General as well as Cooter's tow-truck. She also saw a familiar grey sedan. That meant everyone was here.

Grabbing the CB, Kira sent out a call claiming that she was out on Pine Ridge Road and needed a tow knowing that Daisy would then tell Cooter. That was her signal to start the fun.

Shortly after Cooter headed out the door, Daisy went over to the boys with a single glass of beer.

"Here ya go, Bo. Someone sent this here drink over for ya." Daisy placed the glass down in front of her blond cousin. If there was any evidence of a little extra humor shining in her smile, well no one seemed to notice.

"By who?" Bo glanced around the room and mainly saw the usual bar flies for this time of the afternoon.

"That good lookin' brunette at the bar." Daisy turned away so as not to laugh.

Bo looked over to the bar and saw a couple of people that he had never seen before. One of which was a gorgeous brunette.

"Well, Luke. When was the last time a beautiful woman bought you a drink?" Bo smirked as Luke watched his cousin's face lit up.

"Very funny. Don't look now but it looks like your dream girl's leaving."

Sure enough, a brunette was in the process of paying her tab and left. Surprised, Bo waved Daisy back over.

"Hey, where's she goin'? Most people would wait a while after buyin' someone a drink."

"Honey, she wasn't the one who bought ya that there drink. It was the other good lookin' brunette at the bar."

Bo looked back to the bar and his jaw dropped. "Uh, Daisy, that's a man."

"I know that. Personally I think he could do a lot better than you, but to each his own." Daisy grinned as Luke busted out laughing.

"Well, Cuz. You finally one upped me. I have never had a man buy me a drink. Congratulations."

Bo gave both of his cousins a soured looked. He didn't find this the least bit funny. "Daisy, how about goin' back over there and tellin' that guy no thanks? I'll buy my own drink."

"Now, Bo, sugar. That ain't friendly."

"Well I ain't THAT friendly with strangers, okay."

"Alright. I'll go over there." With that Daisy walked back over to the bar.

"Luke, would ya stop laughing over there? This ain't all that funny."

"Sorry, Bo. I guess you're just too pretty for your own good." Luke picked back at his vain cousin.

Over at the bar, Daisy spoke with a man at the end. They spoke for several minutes before the man stood and walked over to the table where Bo and Luke were sitting.

"Excuse me. I just wanted to come over and apologize. No hard feelings?"

Bo looked up to see that the tall dark-haired man was standing over him with an outstretched hand. Bo looked up at the hand as if it was a snake ready to strike. Instead of shaking the hand, he just nodded his head as he lifted his glass; eying Luke as he took a drink of his own beer trying to keep a straight face.

"Uh, sure. No hard feelings." Bo awkwardly sipped his beer as he wished that the stranger would leave.

"I should have known that the two of you were here together." Turning toward Luke, The man continued, "I didn't mean to horn in on your territory. Why don't I buy you both a drink to make it up to ya?"

At that point, the table got a shower as the beer that Luke had been drinking reversed directions. Bo wasn't sure if he should laugh or not. Oh sure. It was funny for Luke when the man was just trying to make a pass at him. But now, he has assumed that Luke went the wrong way down a one way street, too. Luke wasn't over there smiling, now.

"Say what? Listen fella. I don't know just how you got the impression that we go that way, but it is the wrong impression."

"Really? I've never been wrong about these sorts of things before. I could have sworn-"

"BO! LUKE! I GOTTA WARN YA THAT-" Cooter came running back from outside and looked at his two best friends and a stranger that was currently standing over the table. "Never mind. I just got the feelin' that I'm too late."

Daisy came back over to the table as Kira came in from the side door to the outside. She was laughing so hard at the fellas' expressions that she had to sit down. "Cooter! This is why we didn't tell you about this before! You ruined it!"

"Bo, I think we've been had." Luke looked up as Kira walked over to the table.

"You wish," Brent smirked. Kira came over to give Brent a hug as she started laughing herself.

"Brent, you are a gem!"

"Hey, that was kind of fun. Too bad you weren't in here to see it."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that." Kira leaned in and whispered, "I'll just watch the tape later on."

"What was that?" Bo tried to hear what his devious sister was saying.

"Nothin'. Well Brent, I may not be my brother, but how about I walk ya out to your car." Kira slipped her arm through Brent's as she gave the boys a wicked smile.

"I suppose you'll do."

With that, Kira and Brent walked out to the parking lot outside. Once outside, Brent leaned in toward Kira. "You seem to be doin' okay. You like livin' out here in the boonies?"

"Let's just say life ain't as boring here in Hazzard as you might think. It's still taking a while to get used to I guess. And I don't think I'll ever get used to farm hours. Everyone is up and working long before I'd prefer to wake up." Kira answered even though she knew what Brent really wanted to ask her.

"But other than that? You're alright?"

Was she really doing alright? How was she moving on after her assault in January? She saw the look that Brent was giving her, as if he wasn't sure she was being wholly truthful.

"Yeh. I'm alright. I wasn't. But I am now… Most of the time, at least, I am." Brent gave a slight nod. As if that was the answer he had expected. "Well you had better get back on the road if you're heading to Miami for your vacation. And I really do thank you for stopping on your way. You're a prince."

"No problem. It's just too bad that neither one of them guys is gay."

"Well I'm sure that most of the women in Georgia would say the same thing about the fact that you ARE gay." Kira laughed as Brent got into his sedan.

"Hey, you let me know the next time you're in Atlanta. You hear? We'll have dinner."

"Sounds like a plan. Drive careful." With that Kira headed back inside where Bo and Luke were giving Daisy the third degree about the prank that she and Kira had just pulled on them.

"Hey, you fellas are just lucky that Kira's friend couldn't come when she wanted him to come."

"And when was that?"

"Last weekend after the race. During Happy Hour on Saturday." Daisy grinned as the boys had the thought that had they been here with dates, an uncomfortable situation would have gotten a lot more embarrassing.

"You mind tellin' us just what this was all about?" Luke asked as Kira joined them at the table.

"Well, it hit me that I never did get the two of you back for sickin' Pauline on me after New Year's. I felt that it was high time that I did." Kira sat back in her chair right proud of herself. Neither of the guys had been expecting her revenge anymore, nor had they anticipated her to seek it out quite this way.

"This is from JANUARY!" Bo glared at his sister.

"When it comes to revenge, I can be VERY patient."

"I can't believe you did this." Luke shook his head.

"Believe it. It would have been more fun if Cooter hadn't come runnin' in here the moment I explained to him what Daisy and I had planned."

"At least SOMEONE was lookin' out for us."

"Oh, you mean like when you asked Pauline to look after me?"

"Hey! Luke's the one that did the callin'!"

"But it was your idea! That's why I set it up the way I did." Kira and Daisy giggled as Bo and Luke exchanged looks. "I'll tell ya what. If ya'll agree NOT to send Pauline after me again or try to set me up with any men, then I'll agree not to set ya'll up with any either."

Daisy leaned down to put an arm across each of the guys. "I've been waitin' a long time to find a way to make ya'll back off when it comes to who I date. It looks like I'll have to take a page out of Kira's book." Grinning, Daisy gave Kira a wink. "Though next time, we'll have to make sure there's a lot more witnesses."

Holding their hands up in surrender, both said, "Alright, alright. Ya'll win. Though how I ended up with such mean spirited female cousins, I'll never know."

Kira could tell that both men were still upset about the prank. Well good. Especially Luke. Neither could exactly pull off the whole over-protective big brother/cousin act if they were mad at her.

"You were just lucky I guess." Kira got up to get ready to leave.

"You mean UN-lucky," Bo piped up.

"Since I'm unlucky, I think I'll just head on out to the farm. I'll surprise Jesse by being home early tonight. Catch ya'll at supper."

With that, Kira left still giggling to herself. Though only after she stopped by the bar and retrieved a video tape from Steve.

* * *

Jesse shook his head as Daisy filled him in on just why the boys were acting so put off since they had gotten home. And if his nephews weren't sitting right here at the table, he probably would have joined her as she laughed. Glancing over down toward where Kira was sitting beside Daisy, he saw her doing her best to keep a straight face as she ate. It may seem strange, but he was glad that his niece was able to pull a stunt like this. It proved that she was back to herself after a long time where she was but a mere shadow. His nephews better pay attention to her. Because if this was her warning shot, he'd hate to see her go in for the kill.

Kira glanced over at Bo and Luke and figured that they'd probably have had enough for one day. She had better change the subject for now.

"Uncle Jesse? When's Jebb supposed to get here for the Motor-Cross Saturday?"

"Tomorrow evenin' about supper time I believe."

"It sure will be good to have Jebb here for a few days. Maybe he can help us rein you in. He seemed to know you so well before the holidays."

"If I know Jebb, Bo, he'll tell ya not to bother tryin'." Kira grinned. "He'll just tell ya not to give me a reason to give ya a hard time."

After a few more minutes of some good-natured kidding, the Dukes all settled into a relaxing evening and continued to talk about the Motor Cross Race coming up the weekend. Kira wished that she'd be competing in it instead of just watching it, but she had already made up her mind that come the next day, she'd at least be back on her bike.

* * *

After supper, Kira headed out to the barn where her bike was stored and set about to getting it ready to ride again after its long dry spell. She knew that Daisy would be heading out soon since, with it being her night off, she had a date. The new guitarist for the band that played weekends out at The Boar's Nest had caught her eye. Though in Kira's opinion, Daisy probably wouldn't have given him much of a second thought if the guys hadn't let their obvious distaste for the guy show so prevalent. Kira just assumed to stay out of the way when the fellas learn of Daisy's plans for the night.

Kira had just finished with her bike when Bo went looking for her.

"What are ya doin'?"

"Just gettin' the bike ready to ride again."

"Didn't the doc say he didn't want you racin' just yet?" Kira looked up as she put the tools that she had been using away. So much for derailing the over-protective brother routine for a while.

"Yes he said that, though I have the feelin' that he was just parrotin' what you and Luke told him to say." Kira's suspicion were confirmed when Bo looked away. "There ain't no MEDICAL reason to not race right now. Besides, I planned to ride, not race. So there shouldn't be a problem no how. What cha' doing out here anyway?"

"I was goin' to ask ya somethin'. A favor." Kira raised her eyebrow at her brother. "I was actually wonderin' if I could borrow your bike, to race in the Motor Cross."

"Wait a minute. You get the doc to tell me I can't race, and then you decide that you want to use my bike to race in the Motor Cross this weekend?"

"I raced in the Motor Cross race a few years back; won it too."

"You beat Jebb?" Kira asked. She knew that Jebb was good. Real good. Among the best. She also knew that Bo was the best when it came to stock car racing (racing on four wheels), but racing on a motorcycle (racing on two)? It might would be interesting to see two Dukes racing one another. As long as she's stuck being a spectator at least.

"Well, actually, Jebb wasn't able to leave Placid for that particular race. But I still made sure that a Duke won."

Bo was smiling with pride at the memory. Then he got serious again as he waited to see what Kira would say about the bike. He knew that it was unfair to ask to race Kira's bike when he had helped to ground her, but he had always been curious. Which was the better racer, him or Jebb? His competitive streak had to know. He and Luke had long since agreed to not find out which of them two was the better driver, but he and Jebb had never made that deal.

Kira stared hard at her brother, "Alright. But only because your head's gettin' too big for your hat-band. It will be fun to watch ya get takin' down a peg or two. I'll put my money on Jebb any day." Kira grinned at Bo.

"You'd bet against your own brother?" Bo tried to look offended.

"When it comes to ridin' a bike against Jebb? You bet." Kira laughed. "Although at least this family can prepare for a victory celebration regardless of which of ya wins."

Bo went to make a reply when the sound of a car pulling into the driveway could be heard. He looked out of the barn door and saw a blue two door sedan as it pulled up right in front of the house. Daisy was practically running out of the house and jumped into the car.

"I can't believe she's still seein' that good for nothin', no 'count varmint." Bo made like he was going to head over to the car even though Daisy and the fella in the car would be long gone once he made it out there.

"Of course she is. What with the way you and Luke have been goin' on about it. If you two would have just backed off, she probably would have lost interest in him by now."

Kira saw that Bo looked very doubtful at her explanation of Daisy's choice in dates. There wouldn't be any talking sense into Bo. He had made up his mind as to just what he should think about Daisy's dating the new band member, and there would be no changing it.

Shaking her head, "Note to self: Have any and all future dates meet me in Hatchapee. At least for the next year while the date patrol twins are still on probation."

Kira smiled as Bo turned back to her; she headed back inside laughing as she went.

* * *

Jesse looked at the clock. It was nearly supper time and all but one expected Duke was already here ready and waiting for supper. As usual, Kira was still no where to be seen nor had she called to say she'd be late. Jesse figured that Kira would have come home on time today for sure. She and Jebb were close friends and since he came in for the next day's race, it was just assumed that this would be the one day that she wouldn't be late for dinner.

Heading over to the phone, he dialed that now too familiar numbers to the Hatchapee courthouse. After a few rings, Jesse heard his tardy niece pick up the phone.

_"Kyle here."_

"Young lady, do you have any idea what time it is?" Jesse heard Kira curse under her breath.

_"I'm sorry, Uncle Jesse. I got kind of tied up. I'll probably still be at it for another hour or so. Ya'll go ahead and eat without me."_

"Now what could be so all fire important that you can't stop at a decent hour to eat?"

_"Jesse, you know that there are a lot of things about my work that I can't share. Okay? I'm sorry. If I saw how late I was I would have called earlier so ya wouldn't have worried."_ A knock could be heard on the other end of the line before Jesse heard Kira tell who ever was at the door to come in. _"Listen, Uncle Jesse. I've got to go. I'll see ya later."_

With that the line went dead. Jesse shook his head, wondering just how his niece ever made it on her own for so long with no one to even remind her to stop and eat. And again, he wondered just what Kira had to do today that couldn't wait instead of coming on home to greet her cousin.

* * *

The Duke Cousins all went out to The Boar's Nest after supper to hang out. Some of the other racers that Jebb was friends with had come in tonight too, so Jebb was having fun introducing them all to his cousins. The biggest surprise to the friends though was when Jebb told them that he and Kira had learned of the fact that they were family all this time and never knew it. Someone made a comment about how that must have been the reason behind why they had hit it off so well.

Jebb enjoyed the company of his friends but soon learned that his cousins' reasons to come out this evening weren't exactly to kick back. Both of them had been watching Daisy (which in and of itself was nothing unusual) and some guy that Jebb had never seen before. He seemed to be with the band and Daisy's affection for him was as obvious as Bo and Luke's distaste for him. He was about to ask what was up with this stranger when he heard some playful catcalls from the other racers. He turned to see Kira, still in her suit that she'd worn to court today, walking up to the table and lightly smack the heads of two of the guys that had been doing the whistling.

"Hey, I thought we were waiting for the Phoenix of the race track to join us. Instead we got the Ice Queen of the courtroom. What gives?" Charlie, a mediocre driver with muddy brown hair piped up from across the table. Noticeably out of striking range.

"Well some of us do have other responsibilities. Not all of us are complete slackers, Charlie." Kira gave her answer in her usual brisk manner though everyone at the table knew that she was only kidding Charlie.

"Hey we heard you ain't racin' tomorrow. How come?" This time it was Blake. He wasn't quite as good of a racer as Kira or Jebb, but he could still put on a good show.

Jebb could have kicked himself for not warning the others not to ask too many questions about her not racing. He should have come up with an excuse before Kira showed up.

"I had a bit of an accident earlier in the year. Doc hasn't released me yet. But don't worry. Ya'll get to try to beat my brother across the finish line instead." Now that shocked Jebb a bit. He hadn't been told that Bo was entering the race. "Jebb, you think you can show em that just because he's hot stuff on four wheels, that don't mean he's the best on two?"

"No problem. He'll be eating humble pie by this time tomorrow. You up for the challenge, Cuz?"

Bo of course had been too preoccupied to hear Jebb and his sister trying to bait him. Both he and Luke were busy watching the other side of the room. Jebb raised an eyebrow as if to ask Kira if he should be worried about their female cousin as well.

Kira gave her head a slight shake. The last thing Daisy needed was for the entire Duke Army to go charging in on her and her new boyfriend. She seemed to be getting riled easily when anyone spoke to her about her budding relationship. If Jebb wanted a peaceful stay in Hazzard, he'd better stay out of it.

"Well Jebb, how are ya enjoying your summer of freedom so far? Done anything that might put ya back on probation?" Kira grinned as she diverted Jebb's attention away from the other two Dukes at the table. In fact, they might as well as not even been at the table.

"Lovin' it. Not havin' to get permission every time I leave Placid is great. I'm even thinking of hittin' some of the races up in the Carolinas in a couple of weeks. Makin' a road trip of it. Think ya might want to come along? I'm sure you've been goin' crazy with these two around all the time." Jebb motioned toward Bo and Luke though they still seemed oblivious to being the topic of conversation.

Across the room, the guitarist grabbed Daisy around the waist and pulled her over to him, and Daisy didn't seem to mind at all. The fellas, however, did. Both men stood up and got ready to head over when they were stopped in their tracks.

"Lukas and Beauregard Duke. SIT DOWN!" Kira could see that this could easily get ugly.

"What do you mean _'SIT DOWN'_, Kira? That guy just grabbed Daisy!" Bo glared at his sister as if having asking them to back off was a betrayal.

"And she didn't seem to mind it."

Luke was still standing, watching across the room. Trying to decide if he'd do what he really wanted to do; go knock a few teeth in. Preferably those of that so called musician. Heck, he could take that guy on blind folded and with one arm tied behind his back. Which might be the equivalent of it, too. If he tried since Daisy would gouge his eyes out for trying and hang onto him to keep him from getting much leverage.

"The only thing ya'll will accomplish by goin' over there is to get Daisy mad at ya. She already knows how ya'll feel about him. If ya don't back off, you're goin' to end up with a new in-law. Nothin' makes a guy more attractive and irresistible to a gal than knowin' your family can't stand him."

"That makes no sense." Luke seemed to reluctantly acknowledge that he and Bo weren't going to show the man in question just what Duke Men can do, by sitting down. Bo followed his lead though he wasn't happy about it.

"It doesn't have to make sense. That is just the way it is. Just chalk it up to the difference in the way men and women think. So unless you're goin' to sit there and tell me that you think more like a woman than I do, just trust me."

Kira had just planned to stop in real quick before heading on out to the farm. It now looked like that she might want to stay. Jebb might need help wrangling these two in if they decide to run to Daisy's rescue from an imagined danger.


	26. The Race is On

**Chapter 26: The Race**

* * *

The next day, the two Dukes headed to the start line when Kira saw a familiar rider. Matthew Kinnison was just walking his bike up to the line along with the rest of the riders. Kira nudged Jebb to get his attention.

"Don't look now. Your favorite biker just showed up for the race."

Jebb didn't need to look. He knew who his cousin was referring to. He just heaved a sigh as a response. Matt Kinnison and Jebb got along perhaps less than Luke and Ernie did. Jebb's main beef with him was that he raced dirty; caused more wrecks than everyone else on the circuit combined. He toyed with the idea to warn Bo to steer clear of Kinnison but knew that the warning would do nothing but entice his cousin to challenge the other rider. In this instance, ignorance may serve his cousin better.

"Let's hope he doesn't send anyone to the hospital today. See any black clouds followin' him?" Jebb put his helmet on and got on his bike.

Kira gave a slight smile, "No, but that don't mean nothin'. You know you'll be in his sights today. He'll try to finish what he'd started back at Thanksgiving."

"As long as he steers clears of the rookies." Jebb lowered his face shield, making it impossible to read his face.

With that, he approached the starting line and Kira fell back with the rest of the family behind the barricades. The race course, like many of the stock car races, had been a closely held secret. None of the riders would know the lay out until they were actually driving the course. Radio silence was mandated to avoid anyone from having spotters out on the course to alert the drivers to the surprises up ahead. The only exception was for when a rider was in distress. The only way that the spectators would know who was winning would be when those manning the check points along the way report in. Most headed on into The Boar's Nest to grab a drink while they waited since it was tradition for the bar to be the location of the start and finish line for most races.

When the first check point reported in, Kira wasn't surprised that Jebb was well ahead of the pack. Bo seemed to be fighting for position with Blake. But what really surprised Kira was that Kinnison was hangin' back. She felt that he'd be sticking close to Jebb like a bear to honey for sure. Of course Matt usually was as ornery and unpredictable as a bear.

Kira was beginning to feel that she and Jebb should have warned Bo about Jebb's rival. Of course by the time they had seen him, the race was ready to start. Kinnison was close to being banned from all races in the state. Too many racers tended to end up in the hospital after vying for position with him. Kira felt that the sport would be made all the better once Matt raced his last race.

At the next check point, Kinnison had joined Blake and Bo. Each had closed some of the distance to Jebb but he still had a comfortable lead.

Kira glance over at Jesse. She knew he had no love for motorcycles. Though in her mind, they were safer than some of the stunts that he had master and then taught the guys to do in a car while running moonshine. Now he was worrying over not one but two of his nephews in the race. Kira joined Luke at the bar while Jesse played checkers with his friend Amos.

"Feel weird to be sitting here while Bo's out racin'?"

"A little. Kinda thought he'd be doin' better. He had no problem the last Motor Cross race he entered."

"This batch of racers are a little different the usual rookies that race the smaller races like this one. I am surprised to see some of them. Bo ain't all that bad, maybe just a touch too sure of himself. Blake seems to be givin' him a good run so far. Jebb and Kinnison are in a different class altogether. Kinnison must have been hangin' back to see if Bo was any competition. That's the only explanation for his starting off so far back." Kira bit her lip, deciding not to say anymore about that particular racer. There was no sense in getting Luke worried.

Luke didn't notice since he was doing his best to keep an eye on Daisy without looking like he was watching her and L.D. He'd give his eye teeth to know what the initials stood for. Maybe then he could have Enos run a check on him. He'd just bet that someone who seemed to move around so much is running from something. This L.D. fella was just like Jamie Lee all over again. Daisy had nearly married that low-down snake in Hogg clothing.

"L-U-K-E. Stop it before you can't." Luke turned toward Kira. Was she talking to him? Did he miss something? "You do realize that this is one area in Daisy's life that you really can't protect her, right?"

"Why not?" Luke grabbed his glass and took a sip; mainly just to have something to do.

"There are some things that a person has to learn on their own. Dating this guy may be a mistake, but you have to let her make it. Otherwise she won't ever learn how to pick the right guy. A girl needs something to compare Mr. Right to."

"So you expect me to just sit here and watch her fall flat on her face when that worm takes all the wind out from under her wings?"

"No. I know you'll catch her when she falls. And she'll love you for it. But sometimes the most important lessons that are learned are when you're in free-fall. If you keep her from taking that step over the edge, how is she supposed to learn to fly?"

Luke was about to ask how Kira learned so much about relationships since she seemed to have a phobia of them herself, when the third check point reported in. Bo had finally pulled ahead of Blake while Jebb and Matt were fighting it out for first place. Just one more check point and they'd all be in the home stretch.

* * *

Bo had been so busy trying to pull ahead of Jebb's friend, he thought that his name was Blake maybe, that he never saw the racer wearing a blue racing suit and helmet pass him. Now looking ahead of him, Bo saw Jebb in his familiar black racing suit and the stranger in blue currently in a stiff battle for first. They had all just passed the final check point and started to head back to the Boar's Nest.

This stretch of road had a steep ravine on the side off to the right side of the road and it looked like the racer in blue was trying to nudge Jebb in that direction. Now Jebb was in the process of trying to pull away from both the ravine and the rider in blue.

* * *

The spectators all made their way back out to the Grand Stand to watch the riders cross the finish line. Luke, Kira, and Jesse were all rubber necking to try to see who the first rider was as they heard a motorcycle approach. When Kira saw Kinnison ride past the line, she couldn't help but feel a bit apprehensive. Slowly, one by one, other riders came into view, and then crossed the finish line. But no Duke was among them. A short distance away, there was an ambulance standing by just in case. Her eyes widened when the driver answered someone on the radio then pulled out heading toward the direction that the riders had just come from.

Kira broke out into a run towards The General just as Luke did the same. He slid behind the wheel and put the car in gear as Kira slipped in through the window.

_'Bo? What's going on?'_ Kira saw Luke eye her. She knew he was expecting her to check in on Bo. Well that was fine with her; she didn't need any encouragement to do just that.

_'I'm alright but that fella sent Jebb over the side of the ravine. I called for the ambulance for em. He's awake, but I think his leg is busted.'_

"Bo's alright. Kinnison sent Jebb over the side of the road."

Luke released a breath. Bo was alright.

"What's the ambulance for then? Is Jebb okay?"

"Bo says that Jebb's leg is busted. They're only about a mile up the road now."

Behind The General Lee, the ambulance was doing it's best to catch up, with Daisy driving Dixie with Uncle Jesse riding shotgun right behind it. Kira would like to pass on what she knew but saying what Bo told her over the CB waves might raise a few eyebrows. Somehow, she doubted that the rest of Hazzard would know how to handle the knowledge that two Dukes had a true telepathic connection.

* * *

Kira and the rest of the family got up when Jebb came out into the waiting room hobbling on crutches. His right leg was in a cast just up past his knee. Daisy went over to him and made her usual fuss over her injured cousin, though she was still making an effort to avoid speaking to either Bo or Luke directly.

"Well, Jebb, it looks like you won't be taking that road trip next month after all. Now we're both off the circuit for the season," Kira chimed in after Daisy seemed to be satisfied that Jebb's leg would heal in time.

"Yeh, so much for my summer of freedom. I'm guessin' that Kinnison won the race, huh?"

"'Fraid so. Though I'm sure he got out of town fast after the race. He ain't never been all that popular among the other racers and this stunt today just might have put the final nail in his coffin."

"Let's hope so. Looks like I'm goin' to need a lift back to Placid, now, too."

"No problem, we'll get ya home. But right now, we better get ya on out of this place."

"Come on, sugar. Let's get you on out to the Jeep and get you on home, to the farm."

* * *

Jebb wasn't looking forward to calling home to tell his parents of the accident. His mother especially. He could already hear it. Plus, with no way to leave the farm in Placid, he knew he could look forward to his mother pushing him into spending a lot more time with Mary Ellen.

By dinner, despite Kira's offer to drive Jebb back to Placid the following day, it was decided that Luke would do it instead since driving both ways would be a bit difficult and still make it in to court first thing Monday morning. So Jesse made calls first to J.D., in order to get the paper work started, and then he called his brother John in Placid to pass on their plans. He and Pauline could expect Jebb and Luke right about supper time Sunday evening.

Kira moved into Daisy's room so that Jebb could use her room since it was the only bedroom on the ground floor. There was no sense in making him hop up the stairs if he didn't have to. That night when Daisy got ready for bed, it was obvious that she and at least one of the guys had discussed L.D. again. She was venting as she briskly brushed her hair then threw her hairbrush down.

Kira watched from across the room and just shook her head. Apparently, Daisy saw her in the mirror because she spun around ready to pick the fight back up, just with a different cousin.

"What? I know you want to say it so just go ahead and do it."

"Daisy, I ain't plannin' to say nothin'. It seems to me you've got enough people given ya unsolicited advice or opinions, I don't need to chime in, too. I'm just sittin' here, waitin' on ya to turn out the lights."

Daisy hadn't expected for her cousin to NOT jump on board with Bo and Luke. Maybe she wasn't alone in seeing L.D.'s good qualities after all. Daisy sat on the bed next to her cousin.

"You like him, don't ya, Kira?"

"I think you don't need my opinion to make up your mind on how you feel about L.D."

Daisy made a face at Kira. "What kind of answer is that?"

"The kind you get from a lawyer who is trying to stay neutral." Kira was stuck within these four walls until morning. The last thing that she wanted was to start World War III right before going to bed.

"Come on, Kira. Everyone else has had something to say. You have to have an opinion one way or another. What do you really think about him?"

Kira took a deep breath. Well, there it was. A direct question; and Dukes don't lie to Dukes.

"Well, he's a nice enough guy I suppose..." Kira drew out her answer to give Daisy time to decide if she really wanted to hear what Kira had to say.

"But?"

Evidently she did.

"But I really don't think that ya'll have enough in common where it really counts to make a real go of it."

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"It means that L.D. has never stayed in one place longer than about six months at a time his entire adult life. And before you ask, yes I did a background check on him. Not because I'm tryin' to compete with the fellas for being your most over protective cousin, but because I never date anyone without doing it for myself so it only stood to reason that I'd do the same for you. And no I haven't told the others what I have found. But the point is, he is a tumbleweed. He is used to moving where ever the wind takes him anytime the mood hits him.

You are more like an oak tree. Your roots run deep and strong. If you tried to uproot yourself and live the same way L.D. does, you'd wither away. You may be having a good time with one another right now, and that's fine. But I don't think he could give you what you need to make you happy in a long term relationship.

If you tried to make it work, he'll hurt you. He may not mean to, but he will. It's just that he's not the kind of guy who will still stick around and still be here in a couple years from now." Kira figured that was enough for now, so she stopped to let what she had said sink in. "So, should I head on up to the attic now?"

"No, I asked. Should I be worried about what you found on L.D.?"

"Well, there wasn't anything really criminal in his background." Kira looked at Daisy. "He does have a couple of ex-wives though."

Kira saw that it was news to Daisy that L.D. had already been married.

"Gettin' him to the altar probably won't be a problem. It'll be tryin' to hold onto him when you leave it behind." Kira hated deflating Daisy but she did ask. "Don't worry though Daisy. I ain't sayin' nothin' to the guys, and I won't be houndin' ya neither. You have to make your own decision about L.D. I don't have to like it to support ya regardless of what you decide. Night, Daisy."

Kira decided lay back and try to sleep. At least Daisy hadn't started screaming at her like she had the Duke men, and she'd like to keep it that way. Daisy soon followed suit though she mulled over what Kira had said for a while yet before actually drifting off to sleep.

* * *

"So Kira had Brent come down to Hazzard to help her get even with ya'll huh?"

Luke had been filling Jebb in on some of the things that had happened out at the farm since Kira had moved in. Right down to Kira helping to get the statue back that Boss had stolen and then having her friend, (funny how Jebb knew who he meant even though Luke never did get a name, hadn't really cared to get one) waiting for him and Bo at the Boar's Nest. Jebb found it all a bit too funny for Luke's taste.

"Now you know why I said that it didn't take me long to realize that no man in his right mind would take her on. I didn't just mean in a fist fight, Cuz. If she can't take someone on physically, she falls back on out smartin' them instead. She out done ya. Doesn't happen too often huh, Luke?"

Jebb couldn't help but laugh at the thought of Kira having Brent embarrass the guys out at the bar. Only two things could have made it better.

One: Cooter actually finding it funny and deciding to play along.

And two: If the bar had been busier like Kira had wanted to start off with according to Daisy.

Jebb had always looked up to Luke and he can't think of a single time that any of the cousins had ever been able to get one over on the oldest Duke Boy. If memory served him, Kira likes to catch her pranks on tape. He'll have to remember to ask her to share. He'd love to see how his cousins reacted to that particular joke. Glancing over at Luke, Jebb reckoned that he might not want to be the one to tell him that he'd been caught on tape.

"You know, you could have given us a bit of a warning that Kira can have a mean, not to mention devious, streak when she gets a mind to be."

"Now what would the fun in that be? Besides, there's some things that ya'll are just goin' to have to figure out for ya selves. It took me years to really get a grasp on figurin' her out. Now it's your turn."

Soon enough, the two Duke boys crossed over into PlacidCounty. The Duke farm of Placid was just on the other side of Tranquil, the city seat of Placid. Driving through the small city, Luke saw it was about the size of CapitalCity over in Hatchapee. As they pulled up at the farm, Luke heard Jebb groan.

"Oh no. Uh, Luke. If you want my advice, you'll let me out here and you drive back to Hazzard as fast as you can."

Luke eyed his cousin, "Why?"

"See that red car over there in front of the house? That belongs to Mary Ellen. The woman my mom has been pushing me to get together with. And there on the porch with her, the brunette, is her sister Kelly Anne. I have the feelin' that mom's got plans for some match makin' while your here."

"She can plan all she wants. What can she really do in one night? I'll be out of here right after breakfast. I think I can manage both your mother and this Kelly Anne until then."

"Just don't say I didn't warn you. I still say you should run while you still can."

Luke shook his head at his cousin's melodramatic act. He then pulled Kira's truck up (having borrowed it since there was no way that Jebb could climb in and out of The General in that cast) in front of the farmhouse and got out to greet his Aunt Pauline and Uncle John. As well as the two sisters that Jebb had mentioned. Looking at the brunette, Luke decided that it might not be too bad to keep company with her for an evening. Jebb was just over reacting.


	27. I told Ya So

**Chapter 27: I told Ya So**

* * *

Over dinner, Jebb's younger sisters tried to compete with Kelly Anne for their oldest cousin's attention. They rarely got to see any of the other Dukes since they rarely left Placid and seldom had visitors. In fact, they hadn't seen Luke since Thanksgiving. He did his best to placate his youngest cousins as they told him of their latest dance recital and of how Emma had taken a wrong step and caused the rest of the girls around her to trip. (Emily was the one telling on her twin while Emma sat there sulking.) Emily then asked if Luke would go to their next recital the following weekend, looking at their oldest cousin expectantly.

"I'm sorry girls, I got to leave to head back to Hazzard first thing in the mornin'. Otherwise I'll be breakin' my probation."

"No you don't, Luke," Pauline chimed into the conversation. "You see, I called your probation officer."

Luke's face fell, "You didn't? Why?"

"I explained that what with Jebb's leg, we could use a little extra help around the farm here." She looked over at her husband John. He had walked in on her calling Jesse asking if Luke could stay a while not more than five minutes before the boys drove up. He hadn't known that Pauline had already called J.D. already though. "I was able to get Boss Hogg to give you a two week pass. Just until my brother's boys get back from their trip to Tennessee."

"But Aunt Pauline, I have to have that in writing if I don't want to get in trouble with the state."

"Look at your paperwork, honey. I called right after your Uncle Jesse called out here yesterday."

Luke pulled out his wallet where the paper giving him permission to leave Hazzard was at. Sure enough, Hogg had given him a two week pass _Due to a family emergency_. Luke looked up and saw a look in Jebb's eyes that was a cross between sympathy and an _I told you so_ look. It looked like he should have heeded his cousin's warning. In fact, Pauline was there talking to Kelly Anne and the two of them were making plans for him and her during the week. One of those plans included having Luke take Kelly Anne out on a picnic. And neither woman so much had asked Luke's opinion on the idea.

"Not so fast, Pauline. I seem to recall you tellin' Jesse that we had chores that need to be taken care of." Luke looked over at his Uncle John as he spoke. "It's chores that you said needed to be done, and it's chores that are goin' to get done. Luke, you make sure you get to sleep early tonight. The two of us have got some fences to mend tomorrow."

"Yes sir."

Luke saw a look exchange between his aunt and uncle. It was obvious that Pauline wasn't happy that her husband was over riding her plans to throw Luke and Kelly Anne together. But she wasn't about to say anything about it. Not just yet. His Uncle John was the only person that he'd ever seen to actually make Pauline back off. Luke couldn't remember the last time he had been happy to have fences around that needed mending.

Glancing over at Jebb, he saw him smirk slightly while trying to keep his mother from seeing it. Luke reckoned he might need to find out just what sort of plans to expect Jebb's mother to have in store for him. Especially since it looked like Luke won't be leaving for home the next morning.

* * *

"So you'll be out of here right after breakfast, huh, Cuz?"

"How was I supposed to know your mom had already talked to Boss?"

"I tried to warn ya. And it looks like Kelly Anne is just as empty-headed as her sister. I swear, the only thing their momma must have ever taught them was to just smile and nod anytime someone looks their way. I ain't never known neither of them to express an opinion on anything yet."

"Yeh, they make the bimbos that Bo dates seem like geniuses."

"Seems to me, ya'll both do your fishin' in the same pond, Cuz." Jebb couldn't help but rib him a bit. "I'd better warn ya of one thing, though. Them girls may be dumb, but they was raised _Prim and Proper_. If you so much as try to get to second base with Kelly Anne, you'll find yourself engaged."

"Your kiddin'?"

"Nope, and seein' how their daddy's the minister in town, you just might find yourself livin' through a SHORT engagement."

"How'd you manage to avoid the stroll down the aisle so far then?"

"It ain't been easy. What with Mom throwin' Mary Ellen my way every chance she gets. Tryin' to be gentleman keeps me from gettin' hitched but also makes her think that I'm interested. I was kind of plannin' on stayin' out of Placid as much as I could with the hopes that she'd move on to someone who wouldn't mind gettin' stuck with someone with a turnip for a brain. So much for that plan."

Luke actually started to feel guilty for being upset about a two week stay here while this was Jebb's life whenever he wasn't on the race track. And he'd been ducking Mary Ellen since before Christmas. Luke supposed he ought to be Duke enough to handle the same thing for two weeks.

At least one good thing could come of this. He'd get to spend some time with his Uncle John. Next to Jesse (which was far more of a father to him than an uncle) John was his favorite of his uncles. John was the youngest of Jesse's remaining siblings. He was just a year older than his own father would have been if he was still alive, though nearly thirteen years younger than Jesse. Despite the hard work waiting on him the next morning, he was looking forward to spending the day with John.

"I'm sorry things worked out that way for ya." Luke turned down the covers on the spare bed that was in Jebb's room then an idea struck him so he turned around back towards his cousin. "You know, if I didn't know better, I'd swear Kira had something to do with Pauline contacting Boss."

"Nah, not her style. Gettin' ya back by just sendin' my mother after you with that being the same thing you two did. That's too predictable. You've already experienced her kind of revenge. Besides, it wasn't her idea to run me off the road."

"I reckon you're right. I guess that this _is_ the kind of thing that I was expectin' though. I'll just bet Kira will love it when she hears about Pauline and Kelly Anne."

"That she would. At least my pop will be doing some interference, even if it does mean a lot of back breakin' work for ya. Speakin' of which, you'd better get some sleep. Pop will probably have ya'll workin' all over Placid to keep ya busy. Night, Cuz."

"G'Night."

* * *

The next morning, Luke and his Uncle John were in the back forty of the farm. They'd come out right after breakfast and got to replacing some of the old fencing that looked a little worse for wear. Ordinarily, John wouldn't have bothered replacing the fence just yet, but it had been the best excuse he could think of the night before once learning of his wife's plans to meddle in his oldest nephew's love life. Luke, like any Duke boy, will settle down when he's good and ready. Stunts like Pauline's will only serve to keep the rabbit running.

It was bad enough that she'd been pulling that sort of thing with Jebb. At least he'd been doing alright walking that tight rope that he'd been forced to walk out on. Luke though, wasn't used to that sort of thing. Oh sure, his nephews were good with the ladies, but the girls that they dated in Hazzard were ready for the same kind of fun that the boys were out looking for. And they weren't from Placid.

Over the course of the morning, the two Dukes spent the time, while working, talking about nearly every subject imagined. Of course J.D. Hogg was mentioned as well as some of the schemes that he had invented over the years to try to connive the Duke farm away from his eldest brother. John knew that Hogg had come close a couple of times, too.

He wondered if his nephews had ever considered what they would do if they had ever actually lost the farm. He was pretty sure that Bo would return to the NASCAR circuit. Everyone in the family knew that he belonged there. Luke though. He was a tough nut to crack. He doubted that Luke's dream really was to follow after his baby cousin (practically his baby brother) all over the country watching him make left-hand turns. Some time before it was time to stop for lunch, John was able to work the conversation toward such things.

"You mean to stand there and tell me that there ain't nothin' that you'd ever dreamed of doin'?"

John wiped the sweat from his brow and looked at his nephew. He knew that Luke opened up to very few people. Fortunately for him, he happened to be one of them. He could remember when Luke was a teenager, some of the things that he would confess to. John never broke his confidence by going to his brother but had found ways to push Luke's conscience to eat at him on those times that he felt that Jesse should know of what ever deed Luke had revealed in his confidence to his youngest uncle.

"Are you kiddin'? The two times that I left Hazzard, both for my tour in the Marines and when I went on the circuit with Bo, I got so homesick I couldn't stand it."

John nodded his understanding at that. "I know what ya mean. I ain't lived in Hazzard in nearly thirty years and still get homesick from time to time."

Luke gave his uncle a funny look. He'd never really thought of his uncle still missing Hazzard. After all, he had a wife, family and a farm of his own. Yet he still considered the Duke Farm in Hazzard home.

"Don't give me that look. You ain't the only one that grew up in that old farm house you know." John grinned at his nephew as he reached for another fence post. "The point is I couldn't let that feeling of being homesick keep me from livin' my life. And I know that the farm will still be there when I need to see it."

"You sound like you're trying to convince me to leave the farm tomorrow or somethin'."

"Nah. I know you and Bo will be there for Jesse just as long as he needs ya. I just think that ya owe it to yourself to at least be honest with yourself. Even if you never follow your dream, you should at least allow yourself to have one."

Luke thought about what his uncle was saying. Yes there was one thing that he'd always thought about doing. He looked at his Uncle John.

_Dang it_. _This is the same sort of thing he'd do when he was a youngen and had a secret. Funny how his Uncle John could loosen his tongue when no one else could._

At least he knew that his secret would always be safe with him. Just like all of his others had always been. Oh he hadn't liked keeping it from Jesse when he first told him of his decision to join the Marines. But he had let Luke be the one to break it to the rest of the family

"I suppose there is one thing, but it ain't like I could go right out and do it tomorrow anyway."

John just cocked his head, waiting for Luke to continue. When he didn't, he frowned a bit. "You ain't plannin' another stint in the Marines, are ya boy?"

"Are you kiddin'. If I had that planned, Bo would kill me."

"And my brother would likely bury the evidence once Bo was done." John inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. "Well what is it then?"

Luke tried to stay silent, but he never could hide anything from his Uncle John. "You ever heard of Smoke Jumpers?"

John paused as he wracked his brain for the term. "Them fools that jump out of airplanes with parachutes to land in the middle of wildfires out west?"

Luke smirked at the description. Yeh, he'd be a fool to want to do that he supposed.

"They are all highly experienced firefighters, Uncle John. But yes, they jump out of planes sometimes. I really got a kick out of parachutin' in the Marines. Got a real rush out of it. I guess I figured that it'd be a way to get that same rush and help folks at the same time. But you're right, I could never take off and leave as long as Jesse needs me. It wouldn't be right."

Before he could say anything else to Luke, John saw Kelly Anne coming out with their lunch. It looked like his wife was still trying to find a way to push Luke with that girl. He reckoned he'd have to take care of that latter. As well as pick this conversation back up.


	28. Dealing With Dense Females

**Chapter 28: Dealing With Dense Females**

* * *

That evening, Luke and John took care of the usual evening chores while Jebb was trapped by his mother and Mary Ellen in the den. Mary Ellen was bemoaning the fact that, due to Jebb's cast, they wouldn't be able to dance at the church social the coming weekend. Jebb waited for his mother to check in on supper before suggesting to Mary Ellen that she could find a date if she wanted to dance. He wouldn't mind. After all, he doubted that he'd go at all, thanks to the cast. Mary Ellen looked at him strange for suggesting such a thing. Mentally, he wished that she would pick up on what he was trying to say without actually saying it.

"What do you mean? You mean you want me to go with someone else?"

"I just don't think you should have to miss out on something that you enjoy just because I can't take ya."

What Jebb really wanted to say though was _'For God's sake YES! Find ANYONE else to take you but me!'_ But of course he didn't. After all, he may not particularly enjoy her company but he didn't want to hurt her.

"In fact, wasn't Bradley Morton just dyin' to take ya to the last dance?"

"Well yes, but I explained that I was goin' with you. If I go, won't that get folks to talkin'?"

"Let em talk. Besides, if I hadn't hurt my leg, I wouldn't have been here most of the summer anyway. So you'd still would have needed to find someone else to take ya if'n you had wanted to go."

Mary Ellen just gave him a look that clearly said that it had never even crossed her mind that he had intended to stay away all summer. Finally, somehow, the two functioning brain cells that must be somewhere in that turnip brain apparently decided to rub together. Mary Ellen's eye's lit in anger as she realized that she was getting the brush off. Just in a polite sort of way.

"I see. Perhaps I'll do that."

Once said, Mary Ellen headed to the kitchen where Pauline and Kelly Anne were, finishing up cooking supper. It was only a matter of minutes before Jebb heard the two women leave while his mother came storming in madder than a wet hen.

"Jebb Stewart Duke! What did you say that made that girl so upset and sent her away?"

Jebb shrugged his shoulders. He had tried to make it easy on her after all. "She was upset about not being able to dance at the social next week, so I just suggested that she should go with someone who could dance with her is all."

"Jebb! Everyone in town knows that she's been keeping company with you since before Christmas. Do you have any idea what sort of implications that has for a girl?"

"Mom, I never wanted to go out with her to start out with. I figured that it would be kinder let her find someone who actually wants to go out with her. Not someone whose mother is more into the relationship than the guy is." Jebb knew that his calm answer would irritate his mother more than if he simply yelled back. It was her fault for teaching him not to holler at his parents.

Jebb thought of the irony of it as he also wished that they could get one of those new T.V.'s with a remote control. He was getting tired of having to balance on one foot to hop over to the set to change the channel. Plus it would be easier to tune his mother's angry tirade out as she stood there insisting that he needed to call Mary Ellen and apologize. Not only had Jebb possibly ruined things with her, but had put a major wrinkle in her plans for Luke to get together with Kelly Anne since she'll probably be angry too. What with Luke being Jebb's cousin.

Jebb thought about that. _'Looks like Luke will owe me for this then.'_

Unknown to Pauline, her husband and nephew came in mid-tirade from outside. After a moment, John turned back to the kitchen and turned the stove off. He then went back to the den. Grabbing his keys; he went over to his wife.

"Come on. Let's go."

Pauline looked up and saw her husband. She still had a mouthful that she'd like to give her only son, but looking up at her husband; she knew it would have to wait. Luke was surprised when his uncle and aunt then headed out the door without a word to either of the younger men in the room. No sooner had the car cranked up than the young twins came running in.

"Jebb! What'd Momma do?" Emma asked.

Jebb caught Luke's bewildered look at the question as he was still wondering why the two older Dukes had suddenly left. "What makes ya think Mom did anything?"

"Jebb! We're not STUPID! Its dinner time and our parents just drove off."

Jebb sighed a bit, "Mom just didn't like me tellin' Mary Ellen that she should get a different date for the social next week."

"OOOOOh."

"Go wash up. I'll get ya dinner on the table." Jebb grabbed his crutches and looked over at Luke who still didn't have a clue. "Mom and Pop have always had a rule that they never argue in front of any of us kids. For as long as I can remember, anytime they needed to talk things out without first me and Karen, then the twins, they have always took off for a drive 'til they settle things. Haven't you ever noticed when you came for visits that they seemed to go for drives or run errands at the oddest times?"

"Not that I can recall. 'Course you came out to Hazzard more often than we came out here to Placid." Luke helped to get the food on the table. Even though Jebb would have gotten the food dished out for his sisters, it was a lot easier for Luke to do it instead. "Kind of makes sense in its own way. Dukes love to drive, for any reason. Uncle John drives while he argues too?"

"Plus Mom can't walk away while they're drivin' down the road. She has no choice but to sit and listen to what Pop has to say. I can't remember how old I was when I finally figured out that was the reason behind the drives."

"Should we wait for them?"

"Nah. They won't be back for a while."

And they weren't.

* * *

Luke and Jebb had cleaned up supper and put the leftovers away. The twins were in the den practicing for their recital Friday night and from all that Luke could tell, they seemed to dance pretty well, for their age. Both twins beamed when Luke praised them when they were done.

Soon enough, it was time for the twins to get ready for bed and no one but Luke was surprised that John and Pauline weren't back. Luke thought about the whole drive while you argue deal. Then was struck by an odd thought. Jebb caught the sudden smile on Luke's face and asked him what he was thinking about.

"It's just this. Your Pop drives so your mom can't walk out on the argument. That wouldn't work on a woman born a Duke. Since when did a moving vehicle ever keep a Duke inside?"

Jebb got the mental image of his mother trying to do some of the stunts that nearly all the Dukes had done at one time or another like getting out the window and jumping into a nearby car both barreling down the road at about fifty miles an hour. Jebb couldn't stop himself from laughing out loud at the image.

"No, Cuz. I reckon it wouldn't. Mom still gets scared to death anytime Pop jumps the car. But now if you were fightin' with Daisy in the car, she'd definitely would just walk out on the whole fight. She'd just hop on out."

With that, both cousins busted out laughing again at the truth in that statement.

While getting ready for the night, Jebb asked Luke about Daisy's new fella. That led to Luke ranting about L.D. and his frustrations of Daisy dating the drifter. Jebb realized just how out of the loop he was by living in Placid. He wished that there wasn't such a long drive between the two farms because if he was given the choice, he'd much rather live closer to his Duke cousins than the Loftlin cousins from his mother's side.

* * *

John and Pauline had finally pulled over to continue their discussion. Something that John only ever did once he was fairly certain that his wife wouldn't decide to take off back to the farm on foot. He had tried to explain that Jebb had been more than patient enough with the girl that Pauline had picked out for him. And to be honest, he had done so longer than he had expected of his son. He knew that Pauline was anxious for Jebb to settle down like his older sister had done, but throwing him together with someone like Mary Ellen just wasn't going to do the trick. She wasn't his type no more than Kelly Anne was Luke's.

"Duke Men have always been pulled to strong women. Not the type that have been raised to believe that they need a man to be happy. Someone that you could never put under your thumb like you did with Mary Ellen. Not to mention someone that wouldn't hold for the kind of pushing that you've been using on Jebb. Jebb would need someone that is just as smart and quick witted as he is."

"What makes you so sure of that?"

"I fell in love with you didn't I?" John winked at her while he answered.

_Damn him for still being able to pull off that slow, sexy smile that had made her heart stop nearly thirty years earlier. _

"Put it this way. The next girl that Jebb brings home that you can't stand, that will be the one." And that was precisely what Pauline was afraid of. Getting a daughter in law that she was constantly at odds with. "Besides, Jebb's barely a few months older than Bo and there ain't no one that would say that Bo's anywhere close to being ready to settle down either." Pauline opened her mouth to say something when John cut her off. "And wishful thinkin' don't count."

She closed her mouth with the words that had wanted to be voiced dying on her lips. Okay. Well she had one argument left up her sleeve. Luke was a lot older than the others so the whole _'Too young to settle down'_ thing wouldn't work. That dog don't hunt. Pauline felt that Luke had sown enough wild oats to be getting down to real business.

Of course Pauline wasn't going to say that right now. Besides, she knew that fighting wasn't the only thing that Duke Men liked to do in cars.

Lucky for her.

* * *

The next day, John and Luke were back mending fences and talking.

"So, tell me more about these Smoke Hoppers."

"Smoke JUMPERS, Uncle John."

John smiled at the slight annoyance that came to his nephew's face. Yep. Luke had done more than some light thinking on the subject. If John knew his nephew at all, he knew that he had done his homework on the subject.

"Like I said before, they are all highly trained, experienced firefighters. Which would cut me out of the runnin' right there."

"Why's that?" John steadied the post he was holding as Luke drove it in. "I happen to know that every farmer in Hazzard serves their time at the volunteer fire department in town. You and Bo ain't been no different."

"I kind of doubt that it is the same thing that the Forestry Service is lookin' for, Uncle John."

"What else do you know about them? They work all year round?"

"Nah. They usually are on call from June first through October; during peak fire season. Training would be in the spring the first year. After that there'd be a two week refresher course instead. I suppose that if a bad enough fire broke out, they'd still call ya in durin' the off season, too."

"So you'd still be able to help Jesse out durin' the plantin' season most likely?" Luke looked up at his uncle though he didn't seem to be paying no mind to him.

"What are you sayin'?"

"I ain't sayin' nothin'. Just makin' an observation. Just seems to me that you could do both. Live at the farm half the year and jump the other half. By the time you really started to get homesick, it'd be time to start countin' down to when you could go home."

Luke was about to respond to his uncle's _observation_ when his uncle continued.

"Hey, Luke, I don't think we've got enough nails to do the next section. How about runnin' into town and gettin' some more would ya."

"Sure thing." With that, Luke headed to the truck with the _observations_ of his uncle's running laps inside his head.

Once in town, Luke found the hardware store in Tranquil and made his purchase and headed back to where he had parked the truck when he saw a familiar red car pull up right beside it. Getting out, Kelly Anne waved to Luke and headed his way. Some how the fact that she didn't seem upset actually bothered him.

He had thought that he had escaped having to put up with the woman that his aunt had decided to push his way. If it hadn't been for the fact that Luke was well aware of the kind of expectations that he knew both Pauline and Kelly Anne had in regards to this relationship, it probably wouldn't bother him. But knowing that both women expected him to commit to a long-term relationship just made it a bit more difficult to act casual and just enjoy the time he had here in Placid.

"Hey, Luke. I just wanted to check to make sure that we're still on for Saturday. We are, aren't we?" The brunette looked up at Luke expectantly.

Luke figured that his best bet was to play dumb. He knew that Pauline and she had discussed the dance on Saturday, but neither of them had said anything directly to him about it. They just sort of talked around him; made plans for him instead of with him.

"The dance?" Luke gave her his best bewildered look as if he had no idea what she was talking about.

"Yeh, the church social. Pauline said she talked to you about it." Kelly Anne frowned at the look Luke gave her.

"I know that Jebb said something about the social. How he didn't plan to go. But I can't recall anyone asking me if I wanted to go." True enough. No one had asked him.

"Oh. I thought you knew. Well, now that you do, you're goin' right?"

_Think Luke, think._ "Well, I-"

"Good, Pauline can give ya directions out to the house." With that, Kelly Anne got back in her car and drove off.

"Brilliant, Lukas. All those times that your brain got ya out of trouble in the past and now it couldn't even come up with one little excuse not to go to the dance." Luke berated himself as he headed back to the farm.

* * *

"You were wrong, Cuz. Kelly Anne still wants to go to the dance with me. She took me by surprise and I couldn't come up with one lousy excuse to give her."

"I bet you never thought that you'd be trying to duck a woman. Their daddies, now, that is something that you're used to, not the girl herself."

"Jebb! That's it. You said that Kelly Anne's dad is the minister in town right?"

Jebb looked at his eldest cousin in confusion, "Yep, but how does that help?"

"Well, suppose that Kelly Anne's daddy learned that his daughter was goin' to the dance with a low-down, playboy of a ruffian. Suppose that he don't allow Kelly Anne to go to that dance with me?"

Jebb smiled as he thought about Luke's idea. "And just how is he gonna hear about some of your _exploits_?"

"I'm sure you can figure something out. After all, it was your mother that got me into this."

"You mean I get a chance to bad mouth ya to my heart's content huh? Let me see...Just where should I start? How about the rumor that you have at least two or three kids over at the orphanage? Or I can start off with... No, that one would just get ya hitched." Jebb looked at the horror that briefly crossed Luke's face. A wicked smile landed across his face as the wheels in his head started to turn. "Don't worry, Cuz. By the time I'm done, the whole town'll be runnin' ya out of Placid."

"Thanks...I think."

* * *

The next day, Jebb got his chance to speak with Reverend Hitchens when he came over to speak with him about Mary Ellen. He knew that it would just be a matter of time. After all, he had practically dusted off that book of his that he keeps for weddings months ago. His mother had taken the girls to visit his older sister in town and Luke and his dad were out tending to one chore or another so Jebb was at the house alone when his visitor came to calling.

"Well, Jebb. I heard you got yourself hurt. You alright, son?"

Jebb had to do his best not to flinch at the word Son. "Yes sir. Looks like I get to play hop scotch all summer long."

"I suppose you know why I'm here?"

Jebb swallowed hard. Dang, couldn't he just go get the buck shot and get it over with. He wouldn't even have to be a good shot since Jebb couldn't run away.

"I reckon it's because Mary Ellen got upset when I suggested that she find someone else to take her to the social since I couldn't." Hitchens nodded. "Sir, I didn't mean to hurt her. It just seemed to be the fairer thing to do; especially since she knew from the beginning that I wasn't really interested in dating anyone right now."

The minister motioned for Jebb to sit since it couldn't be all that comfortable squirming while balancing on one foot. Now that he thought about it, he never really did see much in the way of a mutual attraction between his daughter and the young Duke before him. Oh he knew that his mother was all for the relationship, but he had never seen more than a chaste kiss given on the cheek exchanged between the two young people; a fact that his daughter had complained to his wife about.

"I know." And he did. He knew the young man well enough to know that. He wouldn't have agreed to let his daughter see him in the first place if he'd had any doubt about just what kind of man he was. He wanted to be angry with the young man but somehow he had the feeling that Jebb had tried to do right by his daughter. And now he could face his wife since he had come for a sit down with him.

"Sir, I do have to ask something. You ain't really goin' to let my cousin take Kelly Anne to the social are you?"

"Would that be a problem?'

Jebb made an attempt to glance out the window to ensure that no one had pulled into the driveway before turning back to the minister before him. Pulling off a shuck 'n jive on a man of the cloth. He was gonna burn for sure.


	29. Lord I Apologize

**Chapter 29: Lord I Apologize**

* * *

**_"Lord, I apologize for what I'm about to do." _**

Reverend Hitchens waited to hear what Jebb would say about his cousin. From the look on his face, it was obvious that he really didn't want to say anything bad about him. Family loyalty. He knew that this family valued that above nearly all else.

"Well sir. It's just that I really don't think Luke is the kind of guy that you'd want Kelly Anne dating is all." Jebb fidgeted a bit before continuing. "I mean, there ain't no tellin' if half of what's said about him is true or nothin'. Not that you'd pay attention to rumors anyway."

"What KIND of rumors?"

"Just one thing and another. I mean, there ain't no proof that them kids are his. Not really. And..."

"Kids?"

Jebb knew he had the minister's attention now. "…who's to say that the local law don't just have it in for him. Takin' him in to custody all the time and all. But the A.D.A. from HatchapeeCounty is on a first name basis with him."

"I thought that your cousin was from Hazzard?"

"Exactly! The A.D.A of the **next** county knows him that well. Now its one thing for the prosecutor of the same county to know your name; shoot everyone grew up together there anyway. But you can just bet that he didn't grow up with the one from Hatchapee."

"How come I've never heard none of this before?" Hitchens knew that sometimes families could be blind to the faults of their own members but from what he understood; Luke was Pauline's favorite of all of her nephews. Yet, here was Jebb, reluctantly confessing that his family has a dark secret. The _Black Sheep_ of the family.

"I guess that since the others all live so far away, no one figured that it should be known. But if you don't believe me, call Hatchapee. Talk to the A.D.A." Jebb lift the phone and offered it to the other man. "I just know that I wouldn't have wanted Karen to of dated someone that has regular reservations at the local _Iron Bar Hotel_ is all."

Reverend Hitchens knew that Jebb was not prone to lying, though bending the truth to his own purpose was not exactly out of the question for the young Duke so he took the proffered phone from the young man. Lifting the receiver, he asked the operator to connect him to the A.D.A's office in Hatchapee.

_"A.D.A. Kyle here. What can I do for you?"_

"Oh, yes. I'm Reverend Hitchens from over in PlacidCounty. I was wanting to inquire about a young man that is here for a visit. Have you heard of a Luke Duke?"

_"Oh, Lord! What has he done now?"_

"So you know him?"

_"Let's just say, I started working here in Hatchapee after Easter and I have seen that man more times than I can count. So, what's he done this time?"_

"Well, nothing that I know of. It's just that I wanted to get some background on him is all. You see, he's suppose to take my daughter out this weekend and-"

_"I hope you have the buckshot ready. I reckon he finally ran out of women in the Tri-County area that he hadn't dated yet for him to be out your way."_

"Goes through a lot of women does he?"

_"To put it mildly."_

"Listen, I want to be fair about this. Kyle. Is that your married name by any chance?"

_"No sir. I ain't never been married. Why do you ask?"_

"Well, forgive me for asking but you're not an angry ex-girlfriend are you? A jilted lover perhaps?"

Jebb had a hard time not laughing as he sat watching the reverend chatting with his cousin. From where he sat though, he could tell that Kira hadn't bothered to hold back the laughter.

_"Let me assure you, I have never dated Lukas Duke. Nor have I ever even contemplated the idea. I prefer men without a rap sheet longer than my arm. Them cots over in the Hazzard jail must have a permanent impression made to fit them Dukes over there." _

Hitchens brows furled at what he heard.

_"I'm sorry; I have someone at the door. Was there anything else you'd like to ask me?"_

"No. That's quite enough. Thank you for your time." With that, he hung up the phone and put it back on the end table beside the couch. "Well with influences like that, I can see why your mother wanted to raise you and your sisters here in Placid. I think I'll be leaving now, Jebb." Jebb made a move to stand to see his guest out. "You stay where you are. I can let myself out."

With that, the minister left with Jebb waiting until the black sedan pulled out of the drive before he busted out laughing.

* * *

"A preacher! Jebb could have told me that the person we were going to be Jive'n was a preacher."

Kira rode her motorcycle towards Cooter's Garage. He was supposed to fix the radiator on Jesse's truck and she told him that she'd swing by and get it after work. Pulling up, Kira couldn't believe it. She had ministers coming out of the wood work. She saw that the preacher's car, the man that went by _Holy Joe_ on the CB, was parked right outside the garage. Hopping off her bike, Kira went to find Cooter to see what she owed him. He was in the small cramped office with _Holy Joe_ and the conversation that she over heard wouldn't have crossed her mind of being one that she'd hear at the garage of all places.

"I don't care what them politicians say. There ain't no reason for there to be no kind of scandal like there's been up in Washington in the executive branch. Us workin' folks have to keep our noses clean. Why should they be any different?"

"It shouldn't but let's be honest. How many of them 'tics have ever done a single days worth of actual work in their entire lives? Now if the common man was up there. Someone who knew what it was like to live on this side of the aisle was up there, things might be a bit different."

Cooter Davenport, TALKING POLITICS! Will wonders never cease?

"Actually, that's how everything was suppose to of been anyway." The men turned and saw Kira standing in the doorway. Grinning, "Caught ya. I knew you couldn't be as dim-witted as you like to let folks believe. Though this is probably the last conversation I would have imagined walkin' in on here at the garage."

"Bo and Luke pretty much have two main topics that they like to talk about when they ain't runnin' from old Rosco. No point in tryin' to change that." Cooter gave a sheepish grin.

"Cars and Girls. Ya, I know. Sounds like you were really sounding off before I came in."

"Yeh, well, what was that you were sayin'? How it ain't supposed to be like this?"

Kira shrugged, "Originally, politicians had to hang on to their _Day Jobs_ to make a living since they couldn't live on what they made fulfilling their congressional duties. Our forefathers set it up so that the common man was suppose to be the ones making all the decisions up in Washington, not the elite. They'd had enough of that over in the old country. They went up, did what they went to do, then went home to live their lives. Still gettin' the dirt under their nails in between trips. Remembering WHY they were there. Not like now where a lot of them were born into political families."

"I'd like to see some workin' folks up there right about now."

"Cooter, I told you for years that you should run for office."

"Now, Preacher, don't go startin' that again. 'Sides, what would the folks here in Hazzard think if I up and did something like that?"

Kira stood back and watched the two, lost considering that this subject was a long running one between the two.

"Who cares what they think? I just think that-"

"Hey Kira, I know that we're boring you. Right? You're here for Jesse's truck ain't ya?" Joe stops, since it was obvious that Cooter didn't want an audience. Cooter and Kira walked out to where he had parked the truck. "Here let me help ya get the bike in the bed for ya."

"Hey Coot. What was that really about? I mean, politics? Joe pushing you to run?"

"He's been going on about that same old spill for a long time. Don't pay no mind to that old codger. He's been playin' that same old tune for years."

Kira had a lot of questions running through her mind. Sure she knew that Cooter had to be smarter than he liked to pretend to be. All of those schemes of Luke's that seemed to only function if Cooter did his part down to perfection would never have worked if the mechanic was really dim-witted.

"Tell Uncle Jesse that it was just a valve on the truck that caused the truck to run hot."

"Thanks Cooter. What do we owe you?"

"You know, I ain't used this. I ain't had to wait to get paid from any of the others since you moved in. But Jesse is already one step ahead of ya."

"That figures. Well, thanks, Coot." With that, Kira got in the truck, thinking to herself that she might want to pull Holy Joe aside and have a little chat. Grinning at the thought of what Bo's and Luke's reactions would have been if they had walked in on Cooter discussing politics with the preacher.

* * *

Jebb was sitting in the den reading through a magazine when Luke walked in.

"Well, Cuz, I don't think you'll be takin' Kelly Anne to the social after all." Behind Luke, Jebb saw his father walk in as well.

"And just how did you pull that off?" John looked at his son as it was clear that Jebb hadn't expected his dad to have come in with Luke.

"Just told the truth is all, Pop. How Luke is regular guest at ole Rosco's _Iron Bar Hotel_, how he's constantly gettin' chased by the law. How he's even on the first name basis of the prosecutor of the next county over."

"You mean the one that just happens to be your cousin?" John couldn't help but smile at his son as he told of what he had told Reverend Hitchens.

"You know, he didn't ask about that. He did ask Kira if she was an angry ex-girlfriend, though."

"He what?" Luke asked.

"You got your cousin to help with your little shuck 'n jive, too, huh?"

"She was glad to help...Once she stopped laughing long enough for me to tell her what I wanted her to do. Do you have any idea how hard it is to pull off this sort of thing without saying one bit of untruth?"

"How did you get Kira to help pull this off? I figured she would have fed me to the wolves the first chance she got."

"Nah, she figured you've been through enough. Considering that you'll still be here for another week and all. Dealing with Mom."

John shook his head at the two younger Dukes as Jebb went over his visit from the minister. Well, he did just tell the truth. That just shows you how the truth can be misleading in the wrong hands. Looking out the window, John saw his wife's car pull up and Pauline started to storm towards the house.

"Well I think I'll go take care of some things outside. Luke here will keep you company." With that, John headed out the back as he heard his wife come in from the front.

"JEBB STEWART DUKE!"

It sounds like she ran into Reverend Hitchens in town.

* * *

"And he even said how you," Pauline pointed toward her son, "told him that there's rumors that Luke's got some kids over in the orphanage."

"It's true, there are rumors."

Turning to Luke, Pauline continued, "And you promised me that those rumors were only started by Ernie because his girl dumped him for you shortly after you got out of the Marines."

"That is how they got started, Aunt Pauline, but you know how rumors are. Easy to start, hard to kill."

John had come back in once he figured that the boys had suffered long enough for trying to undo the mess that his wife had started. John stood in the doorway and watched his son and nephew. Luke looked ready to bolt. Probably was, but staying instead out of some creed the military had taught him. You never leave a man behind. And since Jebb couldn't run for cover, Luke was staying put, too, getting bombarded with verbal missiles. Funny how his living room looked a lot like a war zone right now. Well, he better send the wounded off while Pauline calmed herself down.

John soon became the center of attention when he started to laugh at the sight before him. "Well, are all of you ready to call a truce yet? Pauline, promise you won't try no more match makin'?"

"What would be the point? What with Reverend Hitchens warning all the folks about my _Roughneck, Scoundrel_ of a nephew. Won't be anyone in town who will give Luke a second glance now." Pauline glared at her son for his misdeeds.

"Luke, how about you and Jebb get the keys to the car and take the girls out for a while. Jebb knows all the usual hang outs and I'm sure after being locked up here since he got home, he could use an excuse to get out of the house."

Taking his sisters out may not really be all that appealing of an idea, but Jebb was seriously suffering from some cabin fever. Hopefully, they wouldn't run into the minister's family.

* * *

Kira was so glad that the week had finally ended. She'd been working hard at her own private project all week-long. It wouldn't be long before she'd have enough to take it before the Grand Jury. It would be moving faster if she didn't depend on couriers so much. If she could get to the legal library in Atlanta more often, if she didn't have everyone practically jumping out of their skin every time she decided to head that way for one reason or another. If...If...If. Well, slowly but surely things were coming together. Speeding along the winding roads on her motorcycle, Kira was only about ten minutes from town when she heard the CB in her helmet crackle to life.

_"Shepherd to Crazy C. Shepherd to Crazy C. You out there?"_

_"You got Crazy C., Uncle Shepherd. What's on your mind?"_

_"Rosco just called and said he's got Bo down at the courthouse. Wouldn't give me a straight answer about why. Could you tow The General out to the house? I got to go get em out."_

_"Sure thing Uncle Shepherd."_

"Uncle Jesse, I'm almost in town myself. I'll run by and spring him. Cooter, how about just takin' the car to the garage instead? That okay with you, Uncle Jesse?"

_"Just as well I guess. I would have thought that boy would've stayed out of trouble though without Luke around."_

Cooter came back on_, "Now you know that Luke keeps Bo out of trouble more that he gets them into."_

_"Maybe so. I'm gone though. Get that boy home."_

The whole ride into town, Kira wondered just what Bo could have done to get himself arrested. She hadn't heard of many of Boss's schemes lately. Maybe he only considered the Duke Boys a threat when they were in a pair. Pulling her bike up to the courthouse, Kira was surprised to see Dixie parked out front too.

Why didn't Daisy respond to the CB chatter? She could have said that she was on her way.

Removing her helmet, Kira looked up to see Daisy and L.D. barreling out of the courthouse together. Daisy was leaving without waiting for Bo. Somehow Kira got a vague idea just why Bo was locked up. He and L.D. must have gotten into it again at the Boar's Nest.

Kira shook her head at the sight of Dixie speeding away from the courthouse. Sprinting up the steps herself, Kira finds a depressed looking Enos at the same desk that she'd seen him working at the first time she'd seen him.

"Hey, Enos. I'm here to get Bo out. Is it the usual fifty?"

"Actually, Mr. Hogg set it at a thousand."

"What? For a bar room brawl?"

"Well you see, Bo's charged with felony assault."

"Hogg would need to have a complainant for that charge." Kira paused; certainly Daisy wouldn't have left here with L.D. if she knew he was pressing **these** charges against Bo. Breathing a hard sigh, "Can you take a check?"

"No he can't." Kira turned around and saw Hogg coming out of his office. "Because I can't be sure it's any good."

"Bullshit! It's drawn on your bank. And I happen to know that you know down to the penny what I have in there!"

"That may be, but it's after hours on a Friday." Kira knew that there was only one way to win this fight quickly. Go for Hogg's weakness. His greed.

"Fine. Then I'll double the bail. Would that satisfy you?" Boss's eyes lit up a bit at the thought of two thousand dollars for Bo's bail. But he also knew that he could get even more. Kira wouldn't leave here without her brother.

"Doubled? I don't know. These here are felony charges."

"Alright, What do you want?" Kira mentally made a note that she just might need to transfer some more funds in from Atlanta.

Boss paused as if he was trying to decide just how much he could get for the Duke Boy down stairs. "I'll take four." Kira gave J.D. a hard look. "Or you can let him stay in that cell for the weekend. Your choice. Of course that'll mean him missing the _Drag 'N Fly_ tomorrow."

Hogg looked so smug. No matter which way, he'd win. He'd either keep the Duke Boy out of the contest or he got a hefty sum in exchange for his release. Kira blew out a breath before writing out the check. Yep, she'd need to transfer more money in after Hogg cashed the check. He proved that he did indeed know what she had put in his bank down to the dime.

"Well, Enos, go and get em would ya?"

Enos looked to Boss before heading on down the stairs to retrieve Bo. When Bo bound up the stairs with the energy of the kid that still likes to show itself from time to time, he paused just before making his quick get away.

"Hey, Boss, you alright? You don't look all that well."

Kira eyed Hogg. He looked perfectly fine to her.

"I'll be just fine as soon as my courthouse is cleared out of any Dukes!"

Bo gave Boss a dubious look and made a mental note to talk to Uncle Jesse about his old friend turned enemy. Moments later Bo and Kira both walked out of the court-house.

"You gonna tell me what happened?" Kira eyed her twin as he shrugged.

"I was out at the Boar's Nest and L.D. was being his usual self. This time he was making remarks on how when he decides to leave Hazzard, that we could kiss Daisy good-bye; so certain that she'd leave with him. One thing turned into another, next thing I know, we're both fightin' it out on the floor."

Kira shook her head. She hoped that what happened tonight wouldn't make L.D.'s words prophetic. "Did you know he's pressin' assault charges against ya?"

The look Bo gave her said he didn't. He'd been in countless fights out at the old roadhouse. Why should this time be any different?

"Looks like I might need a good lawyer. You wouldn't happen to know of one do ya?"

"Nope," Kira grinned as she glanced sideways at her brother. "Looks like you're stuck with me."

"I suppose I'll just have to suffer then. I still get the _family discount_ though right?"

"We'll see, Bo-Bear." Kira laughed as Bo made his usual face at the nickname that she'd given him as kids. Bo worried that one of these days she'd let it slip when they weren't alone.

Walking across the street, the twins waited for Cooter to bring The General by. It wasn't a long wait and Bo told Cooter just what had happened out at the bar.

"It looks like ya'll are goin' to have all sorts of fun once Daisy gets home. If she was mad at you for interferrin' before, she'll be furious now."

Kira held her tongue about seeing their cousin leave with L.D. No need to pour salt in a wound just yet. Once Cooter wished Bo good luck facing Daisy's skillet, the pair headed back to the farm to fill Jesse in on what had happened to get Bo locked up.

Again.

* * *

The next morning, Daisy had yet to come home causing all that were out at the farm to worry about her. The morning was spent trying to track her down instead of preparing for the _Drag 'N Fly_. Kira had spoken with various townsfolk and had tracked Daisy to Fox Hill Road. She had last been spotted on that road the night before heading for the county line; the line that bordered Chickamahoney County. Kira had a sinking feeling. Driving on in to the_ Honeymooner's_county of Georgia, Kira hoped that she wouldn't find what she thought she would.

* * *

Bo looked at the clock, knowing that if he wanted to make the cut off time to enter the _Drag 'N Fly_, he'd needed to head that way now. Instead, he pointed the car in the opposite direction. Finding his cousin was more important than any old contest. Daisy had never just taken off like this. This must have been how everyone else felt when they had searched for him back before Thanksgiving when he had first opened the envelope that had forever changed his life. Back when it was him who had taken off without a word to the others at the farm. When he had returned the farm, though, he had brought a new family member home with him. Bo said a silent prayer that Daisy's own return wouldn't parallel his own.

* * *

It hadn't been hard to find where she needed to go. Everyone in the county seemed to be used to strangers searching for lost family members and directing them to the local chapels with their adjoining lodges. In fact, Kira figured that the only place that had more chapels than ChickamahoneyCounty had to be in Nevada.

Driving up to yet another picturesque little church with a variety of cabins surrounding it, Kira stopped her bike just short of the small lot out front of the church. There, in front of one of the cabins, was a familiar white Jeep.

Well, she found her cousin. Her suspicions were confirmed.

Turning back toward Hazzard, she contacted Bo and let him know what she learned so he could tell Uncle Jesse. She also knew that someone would need to call Luke, too. He would never forgive them if they waited. So, spying a payphone, Kira figured she may as well get it over with.


	30. An invite to Dinner

**Chapter 30: ****An invite to Dinner**

* * *

The moment Kira had gotten off the phone, Luke sped back to Hazzard at break neck speeds; after Jebb had insisted to be kept in the loop, of course. Once Luke had gotten back into Hazzard in record time, it was about all Kira and Jesse could do to keep both of the fellas from going after Daisy. After all, as Jesse had told them, _what's done is done_. Their worry had started to creep into anger when another night passed without any word from Daisy. Then to guilt as they both (especially Bo) felt that they had pushed Daisy into marrying L.D. out of spite.

The next day at church, the Dukes received more than a few curious looks as it did not go unnoticed by the congregation that they were short one family member. As it turned out, knowing what Daisy had done did not make her absence any easier than not knowing anything. The day passed with still no word from Daisy and the family began to wonder if she and L.D. had indeed taken off just as L.D. had claimed that they would.

With such a dark cloud hanging over the farm, each of the Dukes sank into a quiet reverie while waiting for Daisy to contact the family. With Daisy gone, it was like the life had been drained from the family. Kira watched as the men each mourned Daisy's absence in their own way. It just wasn't natural for there not to be laughter on this plot of land on Old Mill Pond Road.

* * *

Kira was sitting at her desk finishing up some paperwork before getting ready to go home. Nearly done, she looked up to the sound of a timid knock on the door. Kira raised her head to see Daisy standing in the doorway. The two just stared at one another for a couple of seconds.

"Can I come in?"

Kira motioned to the vacant chair on the other side of her desk. She hadn't expected Daisy to show up at the office instead of the farm. She waited for Daisy to say something but apparently she hadn't planned everything out this far yet. Maybe she hadn't expected Kira be at work after all. Or that she would be too upset to talk to her.

"So, it appears that congratulations are in order."

Daisy smiled a nervous smile. "How'd you guess?"

"You mean other than the fact that the last time I'd seen you, you were racin' out of the courthouse Friday night with L.D.? The fact that no one has heard from you since then?" Kira shook her head. Not sure why, it just seemed the thing to do. "We all went looking for you Saturday when you didn't come home. Bo even bailed out of the _Drag 'N Fly_ so he could help. I tracked ya down to that little chapel in ChickamahoneyCounty. So I guess you're Daisy Dixon now."

"I never in a million years would have thought I'd get married without my family there; without Uncle Jesse givin' me away."

"Then why did you?"

"It just seemed like the thing to do at the time. Tell me the truth. The men folk ain't gonna be too mad are they?"

"Let's just say I doubt that anyone's gonna exactly welcome Leroy into the family with open arms right now. Not with him pressing felony assault charges on Bo."

"Oh, honey, L.D. didn't mean that. He was just mad. He's over there at the courthouse right now droppin' all the charges."

"I hope so. Though I still don't exactly see anyone being thrilled about all this just yet..." Kira looked across to her cousin. Everyone deserved to be happy, especially Daisy. "Is this really what you want?"

"I've never wanted anything more in my whole life. I know it may take the others a while to come around, but when they see that they were all wrong about L.D. it will be alright."

Kira had so many things running through her head. Like how she knew that Bo and Luke have been known to be turned by a pretty face but they weren't usually wrong about other men. Like how even she had doubts about Daisy's new husband that had nothing to do with Bo and Luke.

"I hope so. Well, tell me about the ceremony."

For the next hour, Daisy and Kira chatted about Daisy's wedding and her new life as a married woman. Sometime along the way, Kira silently let Bo know she was running late so the men wouldn't worry about her. She debated letting him know why she was running late but he didn't ask so she didn't share. Kira guessed that everyone had finally gotten used to Kira's late hours.

Before Daisy decided to head on out, Kira even talked to Daisy about what she had learned from Holy Joe about Cooter and how the two of them had been going around in circles about Joe pushing Cooter into a political career.

"COOTER! In politics? I think the reverend has lost his marbles. Cooter couldn't ever run in politics. He's too honest."

"I don't know. If he ran, I know a lot of people that are so sick and tired of the same ole same ole. They might would take a chance on someone with some good old country horse sense instead of people who keep getting elected that don't even have the sense that God gave a jackass. In fact, if someone like Cooter would run against Ben's son, Shawn, in the coming race next year, I'd be willing to help back em. I know of others that would too."

"That could make the race a bit interestin' couldn't it?" Daisy and Kira laughed at the prospect and kept giggling like school girls until for the second time in a little over an hour Kira heard a knock at her door.

"I kind of thought you'd be done by now. You ready?" There L.D. stood, obviously impatient for his new bride to leave with him back to where ever they were staying. Just as Daisy's family had never really wasted no love on L.D., L.D. wasted no love on her family.

"I guess we kind of lost track of time."

Kira caught the look that was being sent her way by L.D. Well, if he didn't want to spend any time with her, she knew exactly what to do. It was time to welcome the new family member into the family; whether he wanted to be or not.

"Hey you two, why don't ya'll plan to come out for supper one night this week? I know Uncle Jesse is plannin' rattlesnake chili tomorrow night."

"Oh, that'd be great. Then we could all-"

"I don't think so. We already have plans," L.D. cut Daisy off.

Kira eyed her cousin's husband. She doubted that there were any other plans but she figured she let that one go.

"Well, then how about Friday night. That will give ya'll enough time to change any other plans. And I won't take no for an answer." Kira locked eyes with the man as she engaged in a small war of wills. "Jesse can make his crawdad bisque."

Knowing that he couldn't turn down two invitations to dinner in a row, L.D. consented. He really needed to call his contacts to see about another job so he could get out of this hick town.

* * *

"You did what?" Bo and Luke shouted at the same time.

"I invited our cousin to dinner Friday night. And you fellas are going to be on your best behavior. 'Cause all this has been hard enough on Jesse as it is. He don't need any of us ready to declare war over the dinner table. Ya'll can make it through one meal with L.D. Just pretend your playin' a part out at the community theater if ya have to. But don't make Jesse choose sides while they're out here."

Kira stared down both the men in front of her. When they both turned away, Kira couldn't help the small bit of pride she felt. Most people wouldn't win in a battle of wills against one of the Duke men; she'd mastered how to win against two. Plus she'd already won a battle earlier with L.D. today as well. Just wait until they learned that she was heading into Atlanta in two days. She knew that there'd be another battle to come once they learned that, too. Especially since she had to go alone and she couldn't put off this trip any longer.

* * *

"Ya'll can't get Boss to give ya'll permission to go to Atlanta. I happen to know that J.D. went out of town this week. So you two are just goin' ta have to cool your heels here in Hazzard."

"I'd sure like to know what's so all fire important that Kira has to go all the way to Atlanta for."

Bo went back to chopping the fire wood as his uncle headed toward the barn to collect the eggs. Luke had run to town to look for Boss right after Kira had left out. She had waited to tell everyone about her plans to drive to FultonCounty until breakfast. Said something about needing to see the D.A in Atlanta but had avoided any questions about the reason behind that visit. Simply said that she should only be gone one, at the most two, nights and would be back in plenty of time to be at the farm when L.D. and Daisy came for supper Friday night.

Looking up, Bo saw The General Lee pulling into the yard and Luke climbing out. "Any luck, Luke?"

"Nah, Boss left out yesterday morning. Rosco said that he didn't expect him back for about a week. Looks like we're stuck."

"Dang it, Luke. If I didn't know better, I'd swear that Kira planned this with Boss."

"Except we both know that Kira's never said two words to Boss that she didn't have to. I'd doubt that if Boss was on fire that she'd pour water on him."

"I guess you're right. It's just bad timing though."

"Kind of makes ya wonder don't it? What else could go wrong this week?"

* * *

Bo and Luke were letting off steam as they raced along the red clay back roads of HazzardCounty. They just weren't used to the farm being so quiet. Daisy had finally called out to the farm and talked to Uncle Jesse that morning. Both of the guys looked forward to Friday with a mix of anticipation and dread. They missed their cousin terribly but could do without seeing their newest in-law. They would, however, do their best to be civil while the two came for a visit.

As usual, it wasn't long before the familiar sound of the police siren and sight of red and blue lights were found behind the orange stock car.

"Great, it's Enos," Bo said as he looked behind them.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Lose em."

"Yes sir, hang on." With that, Bo sped up and took the curves like only a former moonshiner could.

_"Come on fellas, pull over. If I don't give out some tickets, Cousin Boss will be mad at me."_

Both men looked at one another. "Cletus?"

Curiosity getting the best of them; they pulled over, hopped up in the window sills and watched as it really was Boss Hogg's second cousin (once removed) that got out of the patrol car instead of Enos.

"Cletus? What are you doin'? You ain't been a deputy in a couple of years. Where's Enos?"

"You mean you boys ain't heard? Enos quit. Packed up and left. Claimed that there wasn't anything left in Hazzard for em."

"Daisy," Bo let out a deep breath.

"When did all this happen?"

"Monday. Cousin Boss called me right up, brought me into replace him. Now are you fellas goin' ta let me-" Before Cletus could finish the sentence, the men were back inside the car and took off. "-write ya'll a ticket." Staring after the stock car, "Yep, somethings never change."

* * *

Kira arrived out at Tom and Michelle's house just after lunch. They were out of town but they had left word with their housekeeper to be expecting her. After her first return visit to Atlanta, Kira had fallen into a habit of staying with Ben's old business partners when she went to town for one reason or another. She settled in quickly and called to arrange plans with both Sam and Brent while she was in town.

She knew that this would most likely be her last chance to hang out with either of them for a while. Kira knew that once she returned to Hazzard, she probably could count on not having a moment's privacy for a while. At least the fellas will be in their element; in full protection mode. And for once, Kira will be glad to have an over protective family. She'll need them once she testified before the Grand Jury tomorrow. So it looked like she might as well go out and enjoy her last day of freedom for a while. Maybe she'll take Sam shopping for the day.

* * *

When Kira finished in front of the Grand Jury, she waited outside of the courtroom. There was another who had been call to testify that she wanted to talk to. She felt that if she didn't, she wouldn't be able to look herself in the mirror come tomorrow. Thanks to the risks that Kira had uncovered, all testimony before the Grand Jury was being video taped. Just in case Townsend held to his pattern.

Truth be told, it would be smarter to head to the airport right now and take off to parts unknown and hide out under an assumed name until the trial date was set. But Kira's never been one to run. As Jesse would put it, _Dukes don't run._

So she knew that she'd face the risks. Shoot, she'd come this far. She might as well go the rest of the way. But she couldn't ask anyone else to face the same risk, at least without giving a warning. Upon hearing the door open, Kira looked up and saw a familiar pudgy, balding man dressed in white walk out of the courtroom.

"Hogg, I wanted to talk to you."

"What about? That brother and no good cousin of yours ain't around are they?"

_He would make this difficult, wouldn't he?_

"No, Hogg. I wanted to talk to you about getting protection set up."

"Now you know that Rosco and Cletus will only be able to do so much-"

"Not for me! You nincompoop! For you! I figured that I could talk to the D.A. for you. See what they could do."

"For me? You want to help me? What's the catch?"

"There is no catch, Hogg. I know what we both will be up against just as soon as word gets out that charges have been filed against Townsend. Just because I may not like you, it doesn't mean I want to see you dead. Besides, Jesse wouldn't stand for it at all if he knew that I didn't try to keep you safe. Lord knows why, but the rest of the family seems to be quite fond of you."

J.D. looked at the young woman in front of him for a moment before saying anything else. "That won't be necessary. I've already been given a death sentence anyway. At least if Townsend does it, it will be faster than the cancer. So you just don't go worryin' about me."

Kira wasn't taken back. Cancer; a word that she was only too well acquainted with.

"Hogg, I…" No, she knew that no platitudes help. "Is there anything that they can try? I mean-"

"No, I waited too late." Hogg reached into his pocket to pull out a one of his favorite brand of cigars. "Guess that there's no reason now to give these things up." No, Kira reckoned that there wasn't. The damage was done. "Now I don't want you tellin' no one about this, you hear. I plan to hold on to my dignity."

"Don't worry, Hogg... Boss. I won't say anything. This secret ain't mine to tell."

Boss smiled a bit. That was the first time that Kira hadn't just referred to him as Hogg. Strange, it felt as if he and the newest Duke seem to be coming to a new stage in their relationship. She was now just like all the others. Not quite a friend, but not an enemy anymore either. Boss guessed that having a common foe, Townsend, binds them in a way that neither would have imagined.

"Kira, I never said this to you before, but I'm sorry. I never meant for anyone to get hurt. I don't stand for violence. When I heard what happened to you..."

"I know, Boss. If there is one thing I've learned while in Hazzard, it's that you have a weak stomach. Unless it involves food," Kira smirked. This wasn't really a conversation that she was ready to have with Hogg. "I guess I need to get goin'. You just be careful. Now might be a good time to take Lulu on that cruise that you've been promisin' her. Have a little fun, you know?"

J.D. seemed to think on the suggestion before nodding his head. "I might do that. Give me a chance to tell her everything."

With that, Kira watched Hazzard's commissioner walk away with all the appearance of the world's weight on his shoulders.

* * *

Kira looked at the clock. Damn farm hours. She finally didn't have to be up at this ungodly hour but clearly her body had already gotten used to being up so early. Whether she wanted to be or not. Getting on up, Kira got dressed and began to wander around the huge house that had also served as the office building for the practice that Ben had built up from nothing. The same house that he'd left his partners in his will after he'd died.

Kira knew that she'd end up in the music room. It was attached to Michelle's prized garden; Kira's favorite place in the whole house. She'd always felt that walking through the French doors out into the garden must be what it was like to walk through the very gates of Heaven itself. Looking out the glass panes, Kira saw the first hint of the sunrise beginning. Taking in a huge sigh, Kira thought to herself that there was ONE more thing that she needed to do before she went back to Hazzard. Going to get Gloria, the housekeeper, she knew that she would need a little help.

* * *

Coming out of the courthouse, Kira took one final look around. She knew that the next time that she'll return to Atlanta it will be for the trial. And she doubted that she'd be given much elbow room when she came. Well, at least the papers that she filled out this morning were all filed. Now everything will be taken care of. No matter what. Walking across the street, Kira got into her truck.

_'Hey Bo, I'm getting ready to leave Atlanta. See you at dinner.'_

_'I'd better. There ain't NO WAY I'm sitting through a dinner that YOU arranged if you don't show.'_

_'I'll be there. See ya later,'_ Kira paused, _'Bo-Bear!'_

She knew that he hated it when she called him that. Giggling to herself, Kira turned her key to crank the truck up.


	31. They have to be wrong

**C****hapter 31: They have to be wrong**

* * *

Bo and Luke were up on the roof, repairing the leaks that had sprung up overnight during the torrential rain that had hit Hazzard the night before. Truth be told, the whole roof really needed to be repaired. The whole farm-house had seen better days.

Bo passed on Kira's message that she was leaving Atlanta, which caused the cousins to debate just how short she would cut it to make it home for supper in time. Seeing that they had done about all that they could do for the roof for now, Luke figured they'd call it an end for the morning.

"Looks like we're almost done. Good thing this didn't happen in a few weeks from now. Wouldn't have been good at all to have to split up during harvestin' to get the roof fixed." Luke started to gather up the tools that they'd been using to repair the roof.

"Don't you know it," Bo started to head over to the ladder. Suddenly, he felt a wave of nausea and dizziness hit him.

"Whoa, Bo. Careful." Luke reached out and grabbed Bo's arm. "Trying to get out of dinner tonight by goin' to the hospital instead?"

"Cute, Luke. Come on, let's get this stuff on down." Bo shook Luke's hand off and headed on down the ladder.

"You boys about done yet?" Jesse asked as he came out of the house.

"Yes sir."

"Bo here about took a dive off of the roof though. Looks like he'll do anything to keep from havin' to sit at the same table as L.D." Bo gave Luke a look for ratting him out to their Uncle. He really didn't feel like having anyone make a fuss; for whatever reason.

Jesse gave his nephew a glance over with a critical eye. He looked pale. He reached up to test his temperature. Bo fidgeted but let his uncle do what he wanted to do while still glaring a Luke.

"You feel warm. You go on up to bed. I'll check on you in a little while."

"But Uncle Je-" His Uncle raised his eyebrow as if challenging his nephew to finish his sentence. "Yes sir."

With that Bo headed inside.

* * *

Jebb hobbled into the den while waiting for dinner. He had come to the conclusion that if he didn't find something to do soon, he was going to go crazy. He'd already read through all of his racing magazines as well as several others. Going over to the television, Jebb flipped on the evening news. It wasn't like that there is much else to watch this time of day anyway. Falling onto the couch, Jebb tried to get comfortable; an impossible task really with that bulky cast on his leg. Finally, Jebb settles in to watch as the anchor led into the next story. Eyes going wide, Jebb hollers out.

"Mom! Pop! Get in here quick!"

* * *

_'Bo, you need to wake up. And you need to wake up now, Bo!'_

_Bo felt his hair being brushed out of his eyes. He really didn't want to wake up. He was so hot. Sweat had practically plastered his blond locks down onto his forehead. He kicked the blankets off that someone must have put on him after he'd fallen asleep._

_'You need to wake up, please, Bo. It's too warm here. You can't stay.' _

_Bo opened his eyes; a feeling of déjà vu creeping up his spine. Except the last time, it was too cold. Now it was unbearably hot, and it didn't have anything to do with the hot, bright sun outside._

_'It's about time you showed up. You know that Jesse would've thrown a fit if you were late tonight.' Bo tried to give his sister a weak smile. 'Glad you made it in time to join in all the fun.'_

* * *

When Daisy and L.D. arrived for supper and Kira was still not home, Jesse was beyond being irritated. One of these days, he was going to have to teach that girl how to tell time. Calling Luke aside, he whispered that he should go ask Bo to find out what was taking his sister so long to get home. Quite frankly, she should have been home over an hour ago. Surely if she'd had car trouble, she would have told Bo. One of them could have gone out to help her. Then thinking to how soundly Bo was sleeping the last time Jesse had gone to check on him, she might have tried. Going into the living room, Jesse greeted the jewel of the family. He'd not seen her in a whole week, one long week.

Jesse explained that they were still waiting on Kira (as usual) to come home even though they had expected her home an hour ago. Daisy volunteered to help Jesse in the kitchen but he told her that he had everything under-control. L.D. then turned the television on out of frustration. He had hoped that he and Daisy could make this night end as fast as possible. After all, how long does it really take to eat dinner? Seeing him lounging on the couch, Daisy gave him a look for being rude. He could have left the set off for just a little while. Walking over to it, Daisy figured that she'd just turn it off. Just as she was reaching for the knob, her hand froze as she saw the screen change to show a video of earlier that day.

"Uncle Jesse!"

**"What you're seeing here is footage shot earlier today just outside the courthouse in Atlanta. At approximately ten o'clock this morning, fire crews were called out to the scene to put out a fire from where a truck had suddenly exploded right on the side of the street. Several nearby pedestrians were injured and rushed to the nearby hospital to be treated for second degree burns. Witnesses report that there was one individual inside the vehicle when it blew. Fire crews are still at the scene as it has been reported that the truck is still too hot for investigators to approach at this hour."**

"What is it, Daisy?" Jesse responded to the panicked tone in Daisy's voice.

"Isn't that Kira's truck?"

Jesse looked at the burned out shell on the screen. The shape was right. Anything else beyond that was unrecognizable. Jesse let his eyes drift upwards, to where the boy's room was. Bo. The fever. Looking back at the television, Jesse begins to look for any sign that the vehicle on the screen did not belong to his niece. On the screen, the anchorman was approached by a crewman and handed a piece of paper as the crewman whispered into the anchorman's ear.

**"This just in. Our investigators have determined the I.D. of the owner, and possibly the victim, of the vehicle involved in this explosion. (A photo appeared at the side of the screen.) Our sources have identified the owner as Kira Kyle, A.D.A of Hatchapee County, and former P.D.A. of Fulton County. We have learned that Miss Kyle had been called before the Grand Jury yesterday in regards to charges being pressed against Crime Boss, William Townsend. It is still unknown if this incident is related to the testimony given or to the recent arrest of Townsend. "**

"Dear God! No!" Jesse sank to his knees and was quickly joined by Daisy. Both were crying too hard to hear anything else being said by the anchor on the television.

* * *

"Hey Bo, wake up. Daisy's here. You ain't gettin' out of this dinner ya faker. Now get up."

Luke sat on the bed next to his cousin. Sweat had drenched his hair and it was sticking to his forehead. Brushing the hair aside with his hand, he noticed just how hot Bo had gotten in just the last few hours. So maybe he's not faking after all.

"Come on, Cuz. Jesse needs you to check in with Kira. She still ain't got home yet." Luke continued to gently try to wake his cousin. He was about to give up when heard his uncle scream from downstairs.

"Dear God! No!"

Luke bolted up and ran down stairs to find out what had caused his uncle such distress taking the stairs three at a time. Once down stairs, he was greeted by the sight of both Daisy and Jesse clinging to one another as they were reduced to a mass of tears on the living room floor. Letting his eyes drift across to L.D., Luke was certain that the man must have done something to cause such grief to his family. Seeing him on the couch, his face was ashen and he was just staring at the television.

On the screen, Luke saw a split screen of both his cousin's photograph and a video of what looked like her truck in a ball of flames. He tried to hear what the reporter was saying but couldn't hear him over the pounding in his own ears. Luke had only one coherent thought that he could form as he watched the television. They had to be wrong. Kira WASN'T dead. She can't be. He and Bo were supposed to teach her how to jump The General this weekend. She promised that she'd be here tonight. They were wrong. They just were.

* * *

_"No, Bo. Now go on. Wake up. They'll need you."_

_"This ain't fair!" _

_Kira looked at her brother for what would be the last time. Of course he'd fight it like a two year old. And telling him that life ain't fair wouldn't exactly help._

_"Maybe so, but someone has to watch after the others on this side; especially Luke. You KNOW that if you weren't around, he'd forget how to have fun. Besides, you have to wake up to close the link. You never shut it off on your end. You have to wake up now before you can't wake up."_

_"But- You just can't leave now. It's not been long enough."_

_"I know." Reaching over, Kira hugged her twin. "Love ya, Bo-Bear." _

With that, Bo reluctantly opened his eyes. With tears in his eyes, he let out a call deep in his heart. But this time, he received no reply. Down stairs, he heard crying. He didn't need to ask. He knew. Kira was gone.

* * *

The family was all brought into the conference room in the courthouse to wait for the judge to arrive to preside over the reading of Kira's will. Bo knew that this was a necessary step, but right now, he couldn't care less what was in it. She was gone. What else mattered?

All because she knew too danged much. Because she had figured out what no one else had in the entire state. She had taken the time and found a pattern to Townsend's madness and for that reason, he had her killed. Kira hadn't been deterred for long when Townsend sent someone to intimidate her by attacking her in her apartment. Bo should have known that the Duke stubbornness would catch up to her. He should have seen what she had been up to. Though Kira hadn't been likely to have left it alone just because it could lead to danger if he had known and tried to stop her. That probably would have only spurred her on.

Finally, the judge came in along with other people that Bo really didn't know, and quite frankly, didn't care about. The legal mumbo jumbo was said. The will was read but to be honest, he hadn't heard a word of it. Being here was all so final. It had been hard enough to just make it through the funeral; especially since it had been a closed casket service. He couldn't even see Kira as he tried to say goodbye to his twin sister. It hadn't been fair to have to do that. Now here he was, weeks later, for the final act that would make it official.

Kira wasn't coming back.

"Now, there is just one final matter to address before we are done here. It appears that Miss Kyle left a tape that she has asked to be viewed after the will was read." The judge pulled out a video cassette out of an envelope and placed into the player that had been rolled up to the table and he turned the television on.

On the screen, Kira turned and faced the camera.

_"What? You didn't really think that I'd go without having the last word did you? Now that just WOULDN'T have been my style," Kira smiled at the camera as she spoke. Then her face sobered as she continued._

_ "Well obviously if you're here and watching this tape, it can only mean that I, somehow, have died. I don't know if it was the cancer that came back, or maybe I made one too many jumps and finally didn't make it. Shoot, it would be ironic if the Duke luck held out against all kinds of mayhem and chaos only to let me get hit by a bus while crossing the street, instead." _

_Kira laughed as she spoke, "Oh come on Jesse. You knew that I'd have to say it. I can picture it now. If I was sitting there right now, making jokes at the reading of a will, you'd be telling me that this is a somber occasion and no place to be making jokes. _

_Well, it's my will and I don't particularly want it to be all that somber. This family has already mourned for me once. Don't spend too much time doing it again because for what ever reason that I'm here, I can say one thing. I have no regrets. I have done what I have wanted. I didn't leave anything unfinished. Our time together may have been short, but it's been good. We've had fun, we've picked, joked, fought, got even, and we've even cried on occasion. But I wouldn't have traded a minute with any of you. Even the bad times were made better just by being together. I've seen that, while this family shares the good times together, it really comes closer and the bonds get stronger than ever in the bad. That kind of closeness is rare, far too rare in this world. _

_Jesse, what can I say? With the way we've butted heads, maybe it's a good thing you didn't have to put up with me while I was growing up. If dealing with these others made your hair turn gray, dealing with me would have sent you to an early grave. Well, okay, I guess that was a poor choice of words, huh? Now you get to see why I was fined so much for contempt when I first started to try cases. But it has been fun. I'd like to think that you enjoyed it too, just as much as I did. Even if I did try your patience on more than one occasion. _

_There is one thing though that I have to ask of each of you. Don't get to this side of the table with regrets. Bo. Everyone knows that you were born to drive in NASCAR. The one year that you went off and drove on the circuit had been the highlight of your life. And it had just been long enough to prove that it's there that you really belong. Go back. You know that you want to. Don't regret not going back. _

_Daisy, it's time for you to stop pushing your own dreams aside, too. It's a well known fact that you've had a talent for music, but you've had other ambitions that you've tried to keep a secret. If you want to go to college, then you should do it. I know that I promised to take that secret you told me to the grave. But, I think that this still applies. It's not too late to go back to college. No excuses for you now either. Secret's out, the money is there. Now all you have to do is go. I know you'll do everyone proud. I'm pretty sure which one you'll want to go to as well." _

_Kira smile grew broader. "The only one fitting for a Duke." Kira's face then grew a bit more serious. Kira stood and walked over to the white pristine french doors that could be seen behind her. She looked out the curtains briefly before turning once more to the camera._

_"As for you, Luke. You've always tried to be the family's protector, to watch after the others, even to the point where the dreams of others became yours. But even though you have never given a voice to any of your own, I know that there is something that you've wanted to do. You just haven't done it because you felt that you were needed elsewhere. Well Lukas, It's time to get your rump off the stump and do it! Go do something! The world won't come to a screeching halt if you allow yourself to live your own life for a while. And even if it does stop, well, that would be okay too. Maybe the world needs to stop and watch a Duke in action every once in a while. They just might learn something._

_This family has always been strong. But just maybe that strength has also been a weakness. With having each other, you've never needed to see if there was anything else worth having. But just because you open your lives up to the rest of the world, to your dreams, it doesn't mean that you will push one another out in the process. It's time to find what it is that God has been telling you to do in soft whispers and do it. Otherwise, when you're standing here, you just might have some explaining to do. And let's face it, ya'll will doin' enough explainin' as it is. Especially the two of you, Duke Boys." _

_Kira released a small laugh as she thought on some of the boys' adventures._

_"I suppose my time has come to leave now. It had to come eventually. Just don't be in a hurry to follow me. Okay. Go and live your lives. Hey Bo! I dare you. When you win that next big race, take your victory lap backwards. Give em all something to talk about. _

_And ya'll better have paid attention to me. You hear? I know that you probably didn't hear a word of what was read earlier. But you better not have tuned ME out. Cause if there's a way, you better believe that I'll find it if I have to come back and get your rears in gear. Remember, no regrets and no excuses. _

_I love you. All of you. Now go dry your eyes, and get goin'." _

_With that, Kira opened the french doors behind her and revealed a beautiful flower garden in full bloom. The sunrise temporarily blinded the camera and Kira's profile could be seen as she left the room and began to stroll toward the garden. Turning, Kira gave one last wave to the camera before walking off. Only once Kira could no longer be seen in the bright sunrise did the camera turn off. _


	32. Seeing it through to the end

**Chapter 16: Seeing it through to the end**

* * *

The sun was shining just a bit too brightly for him as he stepped out of the courthouse. Somehow, he thought that it would bring closure to him by seeing the trial out to the end. Now, the trial was finished, the sentence had been passed. But none of that seemed fill the void that had been left my Kira's murder. Townsend was sentenced to death. Though that was after Seth Morales, the flunky that was hired to attack Kira while she had lived in Atlanta, had made a plea bargain. He pleaded to aggravated sexual assault in exchange for flipping on his boss. A fact that Bo and Luke had fault tooth and nail. In the end, Jesse reminded them both, though, that Kira had spent the last months of her life investigating Townsend. That if given the choice, she would have preferred that the plea be made if it meant taking Townsend off of the streets for good. Neither of them had been able to stomach much of the trial after Luke and the others finished testifying about their time in the silver mines during their kidnapping. One certain blond Duke, though, couldn't stay away. He had come for every single day of the trial, and then again for the sentencing hearing. He felt that someone owed that much to Kira. J.D. had testified as well. Though anyone who had not seen him in a while, was shocked when they saw him. By now it was clear to everyone that he wasn't well though no one spoke about the reason behind his wasting away.

Back in Hazzard, things had already began to change. Boss had given Luke special permission to head west for Smoke Jumpers training. He planned to stay in Hazzard during the off season when he wasn't working. Pop hadn't been surprised when Jesse had called to tell them. Seems that Luke had finally found the push he needed to take a chance of his own (that didn't include jumping from one car to another while going 60 miles an hour). Bo was still home but had began to consider some of the offers that never really had stopped coming his way to drive in NASCAR. Jesse was trying his best to support his boys' dreams. He knew that they would have never of left so long as he needed them on the farm. This year he had significantly scaled back his planting with it only being him and Bo working the fields. Next year, he may not plant at all. Kira had seen to it that money would no longer be an issue. Any planting done would most likely resemble that of a garden instead. Just enough to keep Jesse busy.

Already, talk had begun about remodeling the old farm house too since in some areas, repairs just were becoming to common. Daisy and L.D. had moved to North Carolina. It was obvious that things weren't going very smoothly for those two. He honestly hoped that Daisy would go to college. Especially since it looked like the others were following their dreams, too.

Scanning the people out on the sidewalk, he spied a young teenager with honey blond hair and was reminded him that it hadn't just been the family that had been affected by Kira's death. Walking over, he supposed that the girl was here for the same reason that he was. To say one final goodbye.

"Hey, Jail Bait." Smiling while trying to lighten the mood that had remained somber for months. "Your parents know you're here?" The teen shook her head as she stayed silent. Well, he had three sisters. He reckoned that it wouldn't hurt none to have one more. After all, Sam had been the closest thing to a sister that Kira had. "Come on. I'll take ya home." With that, both of them left the courthouse behind.

/

**_Thanks to all who have been faithful readers, especially reviewers. _**

**_Never fear, Kira has been reincarnated in the next story entitled "Words spoken in Jest". The story will explore the idea of where the story would have gone had Jebb and Kira been dating before they learned that they were cousins. I promise it will end differently than this one did. But this is where this story was heading from the beginning. Please drop in and tell me what you think._**


End file.
